Justice-Involved Veterans

On any given day, approximately 730,000 people are being held in America’s jails. Approximately 160,000 men and women who have served this country are currently serving a jail or prison sentence. While many police departments have a veteran's community liaison, veterans are at higher risk of homelessness and arrest.


Veterans with mental health issues are at risk of public 'PTSD moments' that can easily result in arrest for violent offenses, and in some instances, suicide by cop. 

Veterans advocates credit the lower incarceration rate partly to increased services for returning veterans. For example, many states now have "veterans courts," where veterans can get treatment for PTSD and drug abuse in lieu of jail time for certain crimes.


Professionals theorize that might be due to many judges and prosecuting attorneys lack of experience either in the military or with the Veteran, and hold a certain ‘grudge’ against veterans for receiving what might be misconstrued as a ‘free ride’ for service to their country. 

Veteran sentences tend to be longer: 

  • 60% of the 181,000 incarcerated veterans are for non-violent charges 
  • 16% were serving life sentences compared to 14% of non-veterans 
  • 35% of veterans compared to 23% of non-veterans were incarcerated for a violent sexual offense 
  • A total 64% of veterans compared to 48% of non-veterans were imprisoned for all violent offenses 
  • Only 14% of veterans compared to 23% non-veterans are incarcerated for drug offenses
  • 600,000 veterans cannot vote because of felony conviction 
  • $56.9 Billion state’s expenditures on corrections for 2015
  • 43% of veterans and 55% of non-veterans in prison had four or more prior arrests, and 
  • 17% were serving sentences of four years or less compared to non-veterans at 21%

  • Veteran Sentencing

    Incarceration rates were highest with young age, substance use, and mental health disorders. According to: The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 15.7% of total male VA mental health patients were incarcerated at some point between 1994 and 1997 with 39.6% of those age 18–39 years.


    Of incarcerated veterans: 

    • 87% reported at least one lifetime traumatic event, and 39% screened positive for PTSD 

    • 35% of veterans have psychiatric illness; 15% with mood disorders, 7% with schizophrenia, and 23% with dual diagnosis. • 50% were affected by alcohol abuse and 37% of veterans have current drug issues. 

    • 73% were unemployed and 21% had long-term homelessness.


    Nearly one in four veterans in state prison were convicted for sex offenses, compared to just one in 10 of nonveterans. Veterans were more likely than other violent offenders in state prison to have victimized females and minors.


    More than a third of veterans in state prison had maximum sentences of at least 20 years, life or death

  • Mental Health

    Veteran status was unrelated to inmate reports of mental health problems. Just over half of both combat and non-combat veterans reported any history of mental health problems. Veterans were less likely than non-veteran prisoners to have used drugs. Forty-two percent of veterans used drugs in the month before their offense compared to 58% of non-veterans. No relationship between veteran status and alcohol dependence or abuse was found.

  • Medical Problems of Prisoners and Jail Inmates

    In 2011–12, an estimated 40% of state and federal prisoners and jail inmates reported having a current chronic medical condition while about half reported ever having a chronic medical condition. 


    Twenty-one percent of prisoners and 14% of jail inmates reported ever having tuberculosis, hepatitis B or C, or other STDs (excluding HIV or AIDS). Both prisoners and jail inmates were more likely than the general population to report ever having a chronic condition or infectious disease. The same finding held true for each specific condition or infectious disease. 


    Among prisoners and jail inmates, females were more likely than males to report ever having a chronic condition. High blood pressure was the most common chronic condition reported by prisoners (30%) and jail inmates (26%). 


    The majority of prisoners (74%) and jail inmates (62%) were overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. While female prisoners and jail inmates were less likely than males to be overweight, they were more likely to be obese or morbidly obese.

  • Recidivism Rates

    Once being put into the prison system, its difficult to break away. As employment and housing options disappear, so does the sense of hope. For veterans, an assimilation with the military begins to take over; creating the same feeling of separation as when in the service. 


    • 43% of all prisoners were arrested for a new crime either within the state of release or in another state within one year of release 

    • 77% of the prisoners were arrested within five years of release 

    • 71.3% were violent offenders 

    • 73.6% were public order offenders 

    • 76.9% were drug offenders 

    • 82.1% were property offenders 


    Continuing to incarcerate the same offender time and time again without treatment taxes the justice system and the community. A definition of insanity couldn’t be truer, ‘doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result’. As for veterans, It is no secret that Veterans Affairs is fully equipped to offer mental health services to veterans facing criminal charges, thus greatly reducing recidivism rates.

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