University of St. Thomas School of Law Professor and Initiative on Restorative Justice and Healing Fellow, Hank Shea, recently published an op-ed in the Star Tribune about the importance of supporting veterans in healing from service-related traumas through restorative justice.
On Veterans Day (Nov. 11, 2022), the School of Law will host a special event at its downtown Minneapolis campus to bring attention to Minnesota's Veterans Restorative Justice Act and the importance of healing and restoring veterans who become involved in the criminal justice system.
"Honoring Veterans with Restorative Justice" will take place from 4-6 p.m and livestreamed across the country. Registration for in-person or virtual attendance is required.
From the story:
Minnesota already is leading the way. On June 30, 2021, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Veterans Restorative Justice Act (VRJA). It represents landmark legislation for healing and restoring veterans who become involved in the criminal justice system. It substitutes court-supervised treatment and rehabilitation for purely punitive measures to offer the veteran a path to redemption and restoration.
The Veterans Defense Project (VDP), a Minnesota-based nonprofit veterans advocacy group, was instrumental in the drafting and passage of the VRJA. The VDP now is helping fully implement the VRJA throughout Minnesota and expand all or part of its groundbreaking provisions to other states.
