South Australia launches nation's first veterans therapeutic sentencing court
The South Australian Veterans Court will sit for the first time on August 3, offering a specialist sentencing pathway for eligible veterans.
A pioneering Veterans Court pilot in South Australia is set to commence on 3 August, providing a therapeutic sentencing option for veterans facing summary or indictable charges in Adelaide's magistrates courts. The program, recommended by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, will run for a year, meeting monthly for half a day at the Elizabeth Magistrates Court. Eligible participants must plead guilty to their most serious offences and undergo an initial triage to assess the link between service and offending and their commitment to rehabilitation.
Following a Griffiths remand, veterans will receive tailored mental-health and behavioural support, with ongoing court reviews of their progress. The initiative is a joint effort by the Department for Correctional Services, Defence Kidz, Open Arms and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and advocates hope it could be replicated nationwide.
Why it matters
It introduces a tailored legal approach that could reduce recidivism among veterans and improve their reintegration.
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