The goal in this proposed legislation is to give veterans the benefit of specialist input, such as therapists, psychological evaluations, and evaluations specific to PTSD, TBI, multiple concussions, et., that can have a direct effect upon the culpability and mental state of the veteran at the time of the commission of the crime, which can and should influence the sentencing decisions of the court.  There are both mitigating and aggravating circumstances that can be taken into account in sentencing, either lower or elevating (respectively) the sentencing ranges attached to offenses. We believe that Veterans have a special set of circumstances that are mitigating factors, and should be taken into account in sentencing.

The reason behind this push for second chance sentencing specific to Veterans is manifold, but includes the changes and advancements in science, especially psychology (the understanding of PTSD, TBI, etc.) and the changes in juvenile sentencing, where we have realized that an individual is not an adult until they are 26 years of age (approx.), but yet we are placing these adolescents on the battle field; there is bound to be some negative side-effects of that, and this second chance sentencing is an opportunity to address these changes in sciences and paradigms.