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Veteran Incarceration: one third of all vets polled report having been arrested
Last Tuesday, a think tank formed by the Council of Criminal Justice released a preliminary report stating that approximately one-third of veterans claim to have been arrested at least once.
Serving time after country. This is the harsh reality of veteran incarceration, which has affected many individuals and their families across the U.S.
According to a recent study conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), nearly one-third of military veterans have been arrested at least once in their lifetime. This troubling statistic highlights the challenges many veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life. To address the issue of veteran incarceration, experts are calling for better identification of veterans at the front door of the justice system.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One-Third of Military <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Veterans?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Veterans</a> Have Been Arrested. To Help, We Need to Identify Them at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Justice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Justice</a> System’s Front Door. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/prison?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#prison</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jail?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jail</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/incarceration?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#incarceration</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/criminaljustice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#criminaljustice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/military?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#military</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vetresources?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vetresources</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/exoffender?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#exoffender</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/felon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#felon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DYK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DYK</a> <a href="https://t.co/dM8BPd6yPY">https://t.co/dM8BPd6yPY</a> <a href="https://t.co/sbQzRJPeMD">pic.twitter.com/sbQzRJPeMD</a></p>— HMMM...🤔🤨 (@NoChaosNoChill) <a href="https://twitter.com/NoChaosNoChill/status/1643642200616517632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Carla Bugg, a military veteran from Alabama, joined the Air National Guard after high school with the hope of earning money for college and gaining new experiences. However, after she was sexually assaulted, Carla lost her sense of self and turned to drugs.
She eventually left the military and was arrested for drug-related offenses at the age of 29. As Carla later discovered, she was not alone. One in three of the 19 million U.S. veterans report having been arrested at least once, with approximately 181,500 currently incarcerated. Many veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries or substance use disorders, which make the transition from military service to civilian life more challenging.
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After leaving prison, Carla began working for an agency that helps former inmates by providing them with jobs and treatment. However, she noticed that many veterans she worked with did not disclose their veteran status when they entered the criminal justice system. The problem was that nobody asked. This lack of identification had significant consequences, as many veterans did not receive targeted treatment for their specific set of problems while incarcerated, which increased the likelihood of recidivism.
The BJS study found that veterans are more likely to be arrested for violent crimes than non-veterans, with the highest rates of arrest among those who served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. Additionally, veterans with service-connected disabilities are more likely to be arrested than those without disabilities.
However, work is being done to help provide proper care and a lasting resolution for veterans undergoing these circumstances. The Veterans Justice Commission (VJC), led by former Defense Secretaries Chuck Hagel and Leon Panetta, developed proposals to improve the identification of veterans at the front door of the justice system, from arrest through sentencing. This can be accomplished through improved screening processes and increased training for law enforcement and court personnel. By identifying veterans early in the process, they can be connected with the resources and support they need to avoid further involvement with the criminal justice system.
There is a general consensus from veterans like Carla and organizations like the VJC that it is important to continue to address the unique challenges faced by military veterans as they transition back to civilian life. By identifying veterans at the front door of the justice system and connecting them with the resources and support they need, we can help reduce their involvement with the criminal justice system and improve their overall quality of life.
