Sacramento Veterans Court Giving Veterans Another Chance

Sacramento Veterans Court Gives Those Who Served Another Chance And A Helping Hand
CBS Sacramento
August 21, 2015

The specialized court is their compass, and the man leading the charge is a veteran of the Vietnam era.

“It’s been very gratifying for me–particularly gratifying that we have veterans in our program from the Vietnam era,” he said. “Those are a group of vets I think who were largely overlooked for a long, long time.”

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It’s been a year since CBS13 took viewers inside a specialized courtroom designed to give veterans who commit crimes a second chance.

It’s an unusual spot to hold a graduation ceremony, but that’s what’s happening inside Department 1 of the Sacramento County Superior Courthouse. It’s where Judge David Abbot is not handing down a sentence or giving jury instructions—he’s extending a lifeline to those who have risked their lives fighting for our country.

The Sacramento County Veterans Treatment Court allows certain defendants who have experienced combat to have their criminal records wiped clean. They need to complete a 120 to 18-month program where they have to stay sober, not re-offend, and meet with the judge, a mentor, and a probation officer on a regular basis.
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