Illinois § 5

§ 5.

Purposes. The General Assembly recognizes that veterans and active servicemembers, including Reserve and National Guard servicemembers, have provided or are currently providing an invaluable service to our country. Some veterans and active duty servicemembers may suffer from the effects of their service, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression and may also suffer co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder problems. As a result, some veterans or active duty servicemembers come into contact with the criminal justice system and are charged with felony or misdemeanor offenses. There is a critical need for the criminal justice system to recognize veterans, provide accountability for their wrongdoing, provide for the safety of the public, and provide for the treatment of such veterans. It is the intent of the General Assembly to create specialized veteran and servicemember courts in accordance with evidence-based practices and Problem-Solving Court Standards for addressing substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders with the necessary flexibility to meet the specialized needs for an array of services and supports among participants in certified veteran and servicemember court programs in the State. (Source: P.A. 102-1041, eff. 6-2-22.)