Cook County Veterans Court offers helping hand
Judge sets up a system of services and support for those in trouble after serving U.S.
By Matthew Walberg Tribune reporter
July 15, 2009
For the first time in three decades, Army veteran Eric Myers says he is confronting his addiction to heroin, an addiction that sent him to federal prison, ruined his marriage, cost him many jobs and most recently led to his arrest for drug possession.
Now he meets daily with a social worker and attends classes on drug addiction and behavior modification, all mandated by Cook County Veterans Court, a newly formed court geared to military veterans charged with non-violent crimes, mostly drug offenses.
"This arrest saved my life," said Myers, 54. "If I hadn't got caught, I wouldn't have ever thought about getting clean."
The court is part of a small but growing national trend to help veterans who sacrificed for their country. While the law treats the veterans no differently from other defendants, the court tries to deal with any underlying problems that contributed to their legal troubles in the hope that they can avoid further run-ins with the law.
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Cook County Veterans Court offers helping hand
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