Cherokee County will seek an $89,097 grant to start a Veterans Accountability Court that would offer an alternative to jail for military veterans who run afoul of the law.
The Cherokee Board of Commissioners approved applying for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council grant; the county would match it with $9,900 of its own funds. An eligible veteran with a substance dependency and/or mental illness, charged with a criminal offense, could be diverted to this specialized court.
A veteran would be enrolled in a judicially supervised treatment plan involving court staff, veteran health care professionals, and peer mentors, according to a program description. There would be regular status hearings, incentives for adherence to court conditions, and sanctions for non-adherence.
The program’s first-year goal is to have 25 active participants at all times. It would take at least 18 month to complete. “Many will have their charges dismissed upon successful completions, and others are assured of a sentence that will not involve incarceration,” the program description says.
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