Specialized housing units for veterans incarcerated in united states prisons and jails

Abstract

In this chapter, we aim to inform the reader about past and current efforts to understand, support, and rehabilitate military veterans who are incarcerated in prisons and jails in the United States. We begin by providing a brief history of incarcerated veterans, dating back to the aftermath of World War I, including the trends in policy-making which have shaped their experiences. Various approaches to this issue are highlighted and range from those which account for the direct and indirect effect of military service on crimes committed to those which employed a harsher, tough-on-crime philosophy. This history provides the context for a contemporary review of how federal, state, and local corrections officials, often in partnership with the VA and community agencies, are working to recognize the specific needs of this population by developing specialized housing units for veterans. We outline four models, broadly defined, and provide examples of how they have been implemented, often in combination, in specific programs. Our chapter includes demographics of incarcerated veterans, an overview of programs nationally, and specific case examples in order to identify challenges, recommendations, and areas where further study is needed to understand longitudinal impact of these units on recidivism and successful community reintegration.