Fresh Start for Graduates of Henderson’s Veterans Court

On July eighth Deputy Director of Operations Fred Wagar and Justice Reintegration Program Manager Tom McCourt attended a graduation ceremony for participants in Henderson’s Veterans Treatment Court. This was the first live, open to the public graduation in over fifteen months, since the start of the pandemic.

Presided over by Hon. Judge Mark Stevens, himself a former Marine, the Court graduated four veterans: a Soldier, two Airmen, and a Marine. The participants spent a year completing the graduation requirements of Henderson Veterans Treatment Court. One by one they addressed the Court, after which the judge dismissed their charges conditionally and ordered their records sealed.

In addition to their Court Completion certificates, the graduates were presented with handmade patriotic quilts from, “Quilts of Valor”, Nevada Department of Veterans Services Challenge Coins from Deputy Director Wagar, and certificates of achievement from the offices of U.S. Representatives Horsford and Lee.

In his personal remarks to the Court, one of the graduates said, “For better or for worse, we are all the sum of every decision we have ever made. I was making some very bad decisions, and that brought me to this program a year ago. I resolved to take full advantage of this opportunity, and I gave it my best. It has truly transformed my life. I am a far better version of me than I was a year ago”.

Mentor Coordinators Donna Lee, U.S. Navy veteran (and a previously recognized Veteran of the Month!) and Mark “Izzy” Israelitt, COL, USAF (RET) spoke about the challenges and successes the participants navigated, and how hard they worked to reach this day. Veterans Court Mentors, specially trained veterans who are paired with participants to help guide them through the process, are one of the key elements in the success of these programs. Veterans Treatment Courts take longer and are more intensive than traditional criminal justice proceedings because they seek to address and cure the root cause of the veteran’s criminal behavior, offering better outcomes and lower recidivism rates. Court Coordinator Amber Gentry estimated that the recidivism rate for individuals who complete the Henderson Veterans Treatment Court is roughly 9%. To put in perspective what an amazing accomplishment that is, the overall recidivism rate for Nevada is about 29%, while California is 50% overall, Delaware is 64.9%, and Alaska is 66.41%. Veterans Courts work!

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