VA programs for justice-involved veterans

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the Veterans Justice Programs, through which the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs conducts outreach to justice-involved veterans and facilitates their access to treatment and other services. These programs are considered against the backdrop of historical trends in justice involvement among veterans, and the development and growth of Veteran-focused criminal justice programming such as Veterans Treatment Courts and Veteran-specific housing units in prisons and jails. The structure and functions of the Veterans Justice Programs are detailed, along with data showing their impacts on justice-involved Veterans’ access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment.