MEDIA ADVISORY
September 8, 2015
Contact: Honorable Mark Johnson
(951) 777-3163
RIVERSIDE SUPERIOR COURT TO HOLD SPECIAL SESSION AT VETERANS’ STAND DOWN
RIVERSIDE COUNTY:
On September 25, 2015, a special session of the Riverside Superior Court Veteran’s calendar will be held in support of the Riverside Area Veteran’s Expo and Stand Down, an event which will take place at the National Guard Armory located at 14941 Riverside Drive, March Air Force Base, California.
The purpose of the Stand Down is to offer area veterans information and resources provided by local area agencies related to issues such as housing, vehicle and license concerns, employment, health, and legal services.
The Superior Court session will include the hearing of a complete Veteran’s Court calendar, a collaborative effort between the court and other agencies such as the District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation Department, Department of Mental Health and the Veterans’ Administration (VA). This unique collaboration was implemented in January 2012 and focuses on a treatment-based alternative to incarceration for veterans in the community charged with committing crimes linked to issues such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health issues resulting from his or her service in the U.S. armed forces. The program is authorized pursuant to Penal Code Section 1170.9, which requires a nexus between the issues that have caused the veteran to intersect with the criminal justice system and their military service.
The special session will be open to the public and court will come to order at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2015.
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