ABSTRACT
Approximately 8–10% of the people incarcerated in US jails and prisons identify as military veterans. Estimates of the number of veterans who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or on probation or parole is difficult to obtain due to inconsistent practices of documenting veteran status and varying approaches to data collection. When veterans enter the criminal justice system, they face disproportionate risk of suicide, exacerbation of psychiatric and physical health symptoms during incarceration, and increased risk of homelessness upon release from prison. Incarcerated veterans have high rates of trauma exposure during the military, before and after the military, and particularly during childhood. In fact, incarcerated veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population of prisoners. Because of the unique needs of justice-involved veterans, specialized interventions have been established with the aim to rehabilitate and reduce the risks of recidivism. This chapter outlines the rate of incarceration and specific mental health and recidivism risks that justice-involved veterans face. Specific focus is paid to PTSD, co-occurring disorders, and substance misuse among veterans and how these disorders impact risks and needs. Population-specific interventions including veterans treatment court, pre-arrest diversion, and jail-based programming are described and the research on these interventions is summarized.
