- April 29, 2024
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A new Volusia county court system began its second run of sessions on Friday.
BY EMILY BLACKWOOD | STAFF WRITER
A new specialized court system in the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court is focusing on a common group of Ormond Beach’s population: veterans.
The new system, according to Court Communications Officer Ludmilla Lelis, will try cases for veterans with misdemeanors. Though the new process is still in development, the ultimate goal is to rehabilitate these veterans into law-abiding citizens again.
“Veterans courts have become very popular in other parts of the country. They exist in more then 30 states,” Lelis said. “There has been a good track record of these veterans courts helping veterans. It kind of helps target some of the issues that are specific to veterans or particular to them.”
Some of those issues, such as domestic violence and battery, stem from post-traumatic stress disorder. Other issues include substance abuse. Some injured vets get addicted to pain killers, Lelis said.
The Veterans Court will work with Veterans Justice Outreach, a part of the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, to find appropriate treatment programs. Many services are already available to veterans but many are not aware of it.
Circuit judge and army veteran David Beck calls the system a revolving door.
“Some may need close supervision, others less stringent monitoring and counseling services. Some might even require incarceration,” Beck wrote in a statement. “Whatever the case, I think we can help many of them. Our goal is to utilize existing VA resources to help identify and treat the underlying causes of their criminal behavior (PTSD, substance abuse, mental illness) and to hopefully break the cycle of criminal behavior.”
