Logan County State’s Attorney announces creation of a Veterans Treatment Court

[January 13, 2018] 

LINCOLN

Effective January 1, 2018, the 11th Judicial Circuit, of which Logan County is a part, established a Veterans Treatment Court. The mission of the Veterans Treatment Court provides a clear purpose for the treatment court:

“The mission of the 11th Judicial Circuit Veterans Treatment Court is to identify veterans within the criminal justice system and honor their sacrifice and service by providing a collaborative, judicially supervised, mentor oriented, treatment regime with the goal of enhancing public safety, maintaining legal accountability, and reintegrating stable and dependence-free veterans back into our community by utilizing all available and appropriate resources.”

The Logan County State’s Attorney’s Office is a participating team member of the 11th Judicial Circuit Veterans Treatment Court. In so doing, this unique problem solving court allows this office to recognize the invaluable service rendered by a veteran while still maintaining public safety.

In order to be eligible, a person must meet the following criteria:

(1) Be a resident of one of the 5 counties in the 11th Judicial Circuit (Ford,
Livingston, Logan, McLean or Woodford);

(2) Be eighteen (18) years of age or over;

(3) Be charged with a probation eligible, non-violent offense;

(4) Must have served, or currently is serving, in the U.S. Armed Forces;

(5) Must be eligible for VA Healthcare benefits from the Veterans Administration
OR with a letter stating they would qualify with the exception of income determination;

(6) Must have a treatable behavioral health issue substantially related to the offense;

(7) Must be willing and able to comply with the probation terms and conditions of Veterans Court, and voluntarily consent to Veterans and Service Member Treatment Court.

Due to the uncertainty of numbers of eligible participants, the Veterans Treatment Court is circuit wide and meets in the McLean County Law and Justice Center on a weekly basis in order to provide judicial economy. The Veterans Treatment Court is judicially supervised by the Honorable Charles Feeney, Resident Circuit Judge of Woodford County, who is also a veteran. “A weekly meeting in Bloomington will no doubt add to an already heavy workload in this office, but I strongly support this Veterans Treatment Court and the opportunity it provides a veteran of our armed forces,” stated Jonathan Wright.

[Jonathan C. Wright
Logan County State’s Attorney]