INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A newly created Marion County court branch will handle cases involving troubled veterans who may be having difficulty adapting to civilian life.
The Indianapolis Star reports the Indianapolis Veterans Court will work like drug courts, which emphasize treatment and counseling over incarceration.
Experts estimate about 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression or a brain injury.
Marion Superior Court Judge David J. Certo says veterans passing through the court will be more likely to keep jobs by avoiding jail time for “boneheaded” mistakes.
About 125,000 veterans live in central Indiana, with an estimated 63,000 residing in Marion County.
Many who wind up in trouble are arrested for petty crimes like public intoxication, trespassing or shoplifting.
