The DeKalb County State's Attorney's office wants to help veterans avoid jail time for certain crimes. The Stacia Hollinshead Veterans Diversion Program is named after a former assistant state’s attorney and Army veteran. Hollinshead was killed in March. Her ex-husband was charged with the murder.
The goal of the program is to provide treatment based-sentences.
State’s Attorney Rick Amato said certain crimes will be eligible for the diversion program, more serious ones won't: “So our traffic, our misdemeanor, DUI’s can be, felonies can be," he said. "We really don’t want in there domestic violence, sex cases or aggravated violence.”
Treatment-based sentences include evaluations for mental health and substance use.