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Hagel Puts Face On Advocacy For Imprisoned Vets

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.
Ariel Zambelich
/
NPR
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.

Those seeking to keep military veterans out of jails and prisons are shining a spotlight on a new Nebraska law that makes judicial diversion available to veterans statewide. The law makes Nebraska the first in the nation to adopt a model recommended by the Veterans Justice Commission. Now, commission leaders say at least a dozen other states are looking to follow Nebraska's lead. The commission is co-chaired by a former U.S. senator from Nebraska and one-time Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel. He says the commission estimates that nearly 200,000 military veterans are in prisons and jails across the country.