HOT SPRINGS — When people charged with drunk driving, public drunkenness or other misdemeanor criminal offenses go before Judge David Switzer in the Garland County District Court, they are asked one additional question not often heard in other courts: “Are you a veteran of the armed services?”
“If they answer yes,” Switzer said, “we arrange it so that someone from [Veterans Affairs] will meet with them, and they receive a full assessment of their problems.”
Veterans who have run into trouble with the law in Garland County can then enter the jurisdiction of Veterans Court, fashioned after the DWI courts that have been established around the country, to not only hold people accountable for their actions, but to help in treating the problems that might be causing the crimes.
“A former soldier might have post traumatic stress syndrome,” Switzer said. “Just coming from a war zone to a quiet town like Hot Springs can be a stressful transition. Problems with drugs and alcohol might be symptoms of a deeper, larger problem.”
A representative of the VA, who now attends session in Switzer’s court, can speak with a veteran in trouble about employment, education, housing and other issues.
“We try to see if we can address whatever problems exist,” Switzer said. “After the Vietnam War, we did not do a good job of helping returning veterans with troubles. We are not going to let that happen this time.”
With help from the court, the veterans in Garland County now have their own self-help system in place. This includes a 12-step program that meets weekly in the community. The program aids those looking to end alcohol and drug abuse.
There is also a mentoring program through which veterans can find advice and encouragement from older veterans who have faced their own problems.
“We have Vietnam veterans mentoring Gulf War veterans and those who have returned from Afghanistan and Iraq,” Switzer said.
The concept for the Garland County Veterans Court grew out of Switzer’s DWI Court program.
“I had my DWI team at a conference for the National Council of Drug Court Professionals, and we split up to go to the many meetings,” Switzer said.
“We shared the information we had gathered at the end of the day, and we started talking about doing something for the veterans we see in the court.”
Switzer started the Veterans Court in September, he said. The program began with four veterans, and now there are 25 engaged with the court and working on their problems.
“Some are ordered into the program by the court, some are sent by their probation officers, and some vets volunteer to come to the meetings,” the judge said.
“We now have some who are not in trouble, but they still believe they need help or can provide help to others. The 12-step program is open to all veterans.”
Switzer said he is encouraged by the success of these special courts, which he calls problem-solving courts.
“They work; we have seen significant reduction in people who have been charged with DWI for the third time and a smaller reduction in those charged with a second DWI offense,” Switzer said. “Overall, the recidivism rate is down 24.29 percent.”
The judge said the decline is significant, even though the county is seeing more first time DWI cases. He attributes the increase to improved enforcement by local law enforcement officers.
“Officers are encouraged that they are not seeing the same people being charged again and again,” he said.
On Tuesday, he and Garland County District Judge Ralph Ohm held a meeting with law enforcement officers, mental health service providers and social welfare agencies to discuss the creation of a mental health court.
Both judges said they believe some criminal behavior is more symptomatic of mental and emotional issues that could be addressed by court programs like the DWI and veterans courts.
“We see it all,” Switzer said. “We have noticed we have a lot of people who may be suffering from mental illness.”
Switzer said he hopes to find aid for those people as well. The judge said each new program is an experiment.
“Not everything will work, but we can see what works and keep those things and lower the recidivism rate,” he said. “That will mean real success.”
Staff writer Wayne Bryan can be reached at (501) 244-4460 or wbryan@arkansasonline. com.
Tri-Lakes, Pages 123 on 02/05/2012