Veterans Diversionary Programs in NJ

This is a bonus Memorial Day episode of the NJ Criminal Podcast, featuring a segment from the Atlantic County based, Mighty MERP podcast. Host Melissa Rosenblum welcomes veterans advocate Thomas Roughneen for a discussion about Veterans Diversionary Programs in NJ. (Full MERP podcast discussion here: https://www.mightymerp.com/veterans-diversionary-programs-nj-thomas-roughneen/) The conversation discusses the effectiveness of the Veterans Diversionary Program (VDP) in New Jersey and the need for more consistency and support across counties. It highlights the importance of county bar associations in holding counties accountable and the role of mentors in the program. The conversation also touches on the lack of a specialty court for veterans in New Jersey and the potential benefits of a mental health court. The recidivism rates of veterans in the VDP are noted to be very low, and the importance of connecting veterans with VA benefits is emphasized. Takeaways The effectiveness of the Veterans Diversionary Program (VDP) in New Jersey varies across counties, and there is a need for more consistency and support. County bar associations can play a role in holding counties accountable for their implementation of the VDP. Mentors are an important component of the VDP, but there is a lack of recruitment, retention, and training of mentors in many counties. There is a need for a specialty court for veterans in New Jersey, similar to those in other states. The recidivism rates of veterans in the VDP are very low, highlighting the success of the program. Connecting veterans with VA benefits is crucial, but many veterans are unaware of the support available to them. https://www.mightymerp.com/veterans-diversionary-programs-nj-thomas-roughneen Chapters 00:00 Statewide Standardization 02:08 County Bar Associations and VDP 04:05 Specialty Court for Veterans 05:12 Status of VDPs in Different Counties 09:03 Impact of Veterans Diversionary Programs