New Year Resolutions

BY TP HUBERT, CHAIR

The New Year brings challenges for the Veterans Incarcerated Committee and the conclusion of another productive year’s work. Last year ended with progress on parole reverses in the Rory Folsom decision and the continued advancement of veteran courts. The Veterans Day event at Soledad was a success and drew attention to the growing number of military suicides.

In the holiday spirit, we offer the 2013 VIC New Year Resolutions:

• VVA recognition of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ Veteran Court initiative to promote veteran reentry courts based on the Buffalo Veteran Court model. The Drug Court’s pragmatic therapeutic jurisprudent supervision easily adapts to the special needs of veterans and is an alternative to imprisonment. However, too many veterans remain in jail and prison, and veteran reentry courts offer post-conviction therapeutic supervision for veterans incarcerated consistent with VIC’s Resolution VIN-4, PTSD and Parole/Clemency.
• Write an overview of VVA incarcerated veterans for Gambillionjustice.com a clearinghouse for veteran-justice issues.
• Present VIC’s Constitutional Amendment, adding a subparagraph relieving incarcerated chapters of financial reporting requirements relating to non-representative authority issues.
• Encourage VVA chapters and state councils to develop relationships with veterans incarcerated and veterans challenged by criminal justice authorities, and facilitate reentry efforts.
• Make a sincere effort to address the alarming accumulation of letters from veterans incarcerated and their supporters asking for assistance and acknowledgement.