A description of the involved stakeholders

M5A1 Essay: Veterans Courts

Over the past decade, court personnel have reported an increasing number of military veterans, particularly those who served in Vietnam, entering the justice system as offenders. Although few have been diagnosed with a mental illness, many are now presenting with symptoms that match diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (NOTE: The PTSD diagnosis was not available at the time of their discharge.) Beginning with a pilot Veterans Treatment Court in Buffalo, NY in 2008, the principles of therapeutic jurisprudence have been applied to a population of military veterans with justice system involvement.

Before beginning this assignment, read the following article.

Read the following:

CMHS National GAINS Center. (n.d.). Leading change: A plan for SAMHSA’s roles and actions 2011-2014. Retrieved from http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/veterans/CVTJS_Report.pdf

For this assignment, you are to research and prepare a descriptive essay on Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs). In your essay of 500-600 words, you should discuss

– The history and expansion of VTCs

– The essential elements of a VTC

– A description of the involved stakeholders

You should cite a minimum of two sources in addition to the one provided above. Be certain to cite all sources using APA citation style format.