By John Sharp. AL.com: The numbers of veterans’ courts have exploded in recent years. Last year, there were nearly 200 in operation around the U.S. serving more than 10,000 veterans who might otherwise be incarcerated, according to a CBS News report.
The rise in specialized courts comes at a time when veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have returned to the U.S. with injuries and are seeking medication to resolve pain. According to a CBS analysis, the number of patients treated by VA is up 29 percent, but narcotics prescriptions are up 259 percent over the past dozen years. Read article here: http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/02/veterans_courts_soaring_in_dem.html