SJCLP Announces Fall 2016 Veterans Justice Issue — Currently soliciting articles

The Stanford Journal of Criminal Law & Policy is soliciting papers and student notes to be published in their Fall 2016 issue. This issue’s central theme will be veterans justice, and will feature scholarship in connection with the Veterans Treatment Courts conference scheduled for May 6-7, 2016 at Stanford Law School.

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Submissions will be reviewed and acceptances will be offered on a rolling basis beginning immediately. The deadline to submit is 11:59 pm (Pacific Time) on May 31. All students, scholars, practitioners, or professionals are encouraged to submit.

Submissions should be sent to sjclp.submissions@gmail.com with “Veterans Courts Issue Submission” as the subject line.

SJCLP follows a blind review process for current SLS student submissions. If you are a current SLS student, please remove all identifying information, including acknowledgments, from your manuscript before submitting. They also ask that you refrain from informing any other SJCLP board members of your submission to the journal.

Please direct any questions to Sean McGuire.

3 Responses to SJCLP Announces Fall 2016 Veterans Justice Issue — Currently soliciting articles
  1. I am female veteran. I am currently dealing with two separate issues related to my time in the Army.

    I was stationed at Ft. McClellan, in Anniston, AL, for basic training and AIT. I arrived there on 10 Nov 87, and remained there through 30 Mar 88. I was sent there for OSUT (one station unit training) to complete Military Police school. I have had various health issues over the years that I thought were just my bad luck, until I started talking to other FTMC veterans. Among other things, I have had a miscarriage, joint and muscle pain, irregular/heavy/painful periods, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, dermatology problems, exertional asthma and migraine headaches. All of these medical issues can potentially be linked to the toxic exposure that I endured while stationed at FTMC. Most FTMC veterans that I have spoken with have these issues. Many of them suffer with much worse.

    The base was closed in May, 1999, not because of budget cuts, but as a Superfund cleanup site as declared by the Dept. of Environmental Protection. In 2001, the residents of the City of Anniston, AL sued Monsanto for PCB contamination and won a settlement of $700 million, but the veterans/military personnel were not included because it was assumed that the VA would take care of us.

    Last year the VA uploaded a page on their website which basically states that, if you were stationed there from 1935-1971, you MAY have been exposed to toxins. The page goes on to state that air samples taken in 2013 showed minimal risk of exposure, therefore little to no risk to human life. In the same timeframe as the collection of air samples, however, the federal government had paid $216 million to clean up the property that used to be FTMC.

    I am also a survivor of MST (3 times) at the hands of my fellow MP’s. Although the VA claims that documentation is not required for benefits, due to the facts that MST is under reported, and when it is reported it is often swept under the rug. I have been treated in the VA healthcare system for almost 4 years, but my claim has been denied twice. My second appeal was filed in Jan 2015, but I will be waiting for at least 2-4 more years just to get my date in front of the BVA.

  2. Veterans Treatment Court. The upcoming conference is outstanding. I volunteer in support of homeless women veterans and would like to attend. Since treatment court opened in my local community I have referred several women veterans for services and support. Several of the women referred were in custody or facing incarceration. It appears that women veterans are not fully vetted in the process such that the Veterans Treatment Court may impact their particular situation. Based on the historical struggle for equality and fair treatment of women vets within the military structure I am concerned that women veterans may not be fully afforded the level of consideration available through the Veterans Treatment Court. Would hope for provisions of improvement in that area. Shalom

  3. Thanks for your note and for serving the veterans community. We hope you are able to attend our upcoming conference. Participation is free, and we ask that guests register in advance at http://web.stanford.edu/dept/law/forms/veterans.fb.

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