TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak to create a mentorship program to assist veterans who have become involved in the criminal justice system is now law.
“Military service is honorable, but it can leave physical, mental and emotional scars that, without intervention, can make reintegration to civilian life difficult and lead veterans down the wrong path,” said Andrzejczak, (D-Cape May/Atlantic/Cumberland), a U.S. Army veteran who served and was wounded in Iraq. “This is not about making excuses, but rather recognizing that there may be some underlying issues at play that, if resolved, could help make a difference in the lives of these veterans.”
The law (A-4465) tasks the adjutant general of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs with assisting and mentoring veterans who enter the criminal justice system while their cases are pending and afterward.
Under the law, the adjutant general must develop and coordinate a volunteer-based program comprised of former service members to assist and mentor veterans who become involved with the criminal justice system to secure housing, employment linkages, job training, education, transportation, disability compensation claims, discharge status, health care and other linkages available at the local state and federal level that can ease the challenge of reentry into civilian life.
The measure gained unanimous approval from both houses of the legislature.
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