NCJ Number
189641
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 65 Issue: 1 Dated: June 2001 Pages: 14-17
Date Published
June 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Stand Down program of the Vietnam Veterans of San Diego, which not only sponsors a temporary tent city for homeless veterans, but was also instrumental in getting misdemeanor criminal court hearings moved to the tent site, which provided an opportunity for the court and homeless veterans to resolve a huge number of backlogged cases.
Abstract
Most of the crimes attributed to the homeless are disorderly conduct offenses, misappropriation of a shopping cart, riding the trolley without paying, and illegal lodging. In 1988, the Vietnam Veterans of San Diego sponsored the creation of a temporary tent city to relieve the isolation of homeless veterans while assisting their re-entry into society. The annual event provides comprehensive services for homeless veterans, including employment, housing, medical, legal, physical and mental health treatment, and numerous social services. At the conclusion of the first Stand Down in 1988, 116 of 500 homeless veterans said their greatest need was to resolve outstanding criminal cases. Homeless veterans of San Diego inspired the misdemeanor criminal court to leave the courthouse and join the Stand Down effort by holding a special session for homeless veterans at the handball courts of the tent city. Following the first Homeless Court, the San Diego Court reported 130 homeless defendants had 451 cases adjudicated. The next year, 237 homeless veterans addressed 967 cases. Between 1989 and 1992, 942 homeless veterans resolved 4,895 cases in Stand Down courts. The guidelines for alternative sentencing for the Homeless Court drew upon the services offered on site at the event. Involvement with activities that help to move participants off the streets and through programs toward self-sufficiency have become court orders at the time of sentencing. The continued large numbers of homeless participating in the Homeless Court Program, coupled with their efforts to overcome the obstacles their condition represents, has fostered the program's expansion from an annual, to a quarterly, then a monthly schedule. The program has also expanded to serve battered and homeless women who reside at shelters, as well as the general homeless population served at local shelters.