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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:48 pm
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13 results foundAuthor: Napo: The Trade Union and Professional Association for Family Court and Probation Staff Title: Armed Forces and the Criminal Justice System Summary: A survey conducted by Napo during the summer of 2009 found that 12,000 former armed service personnel were under the supervision of the Probation Service in England and Wales on either community sentences or on parole. Research published by Napo last year found that 8,500 former veterans were in custody at any one time in the UK, following conviction of a criminal offence. There are therefore twice as many veterans in the criminal justice system than are currently serving in military operations in Afghanistan. Indeed the total number of men and women in active service in all locations on 31-05-09 was 13,400 (not including Iraq). The Probation Service caseload on 31-12-08 was 243,000 including 165,000 on court order supervision and a further 47,000 on pre or post release from prison supervision. During the course of 2008, 205,000 persons started supervision. Napo’s survey would suggest therefore that at least 6% of those currently under supervision are former veterans. The custodial study of 2008 concluded that 8.5% of the prison population had an armed service record. Previous studies by the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence had found that the proportion of those in prison with a service record varied from between 4-6% (Home Office) to 16.7% (MOD). A 2007 study carried out by Veterans in Prison, based on prisoners self certification, concluded that 9% of all inmates were veterans. Details: London: Napo, 2009. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.napo.org.uk/publications/Briefings.cfm Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.napo.org.uk/publications/Briefings.cfm Shelf Number: 120328 Keywords: Armed ForcesInmatesMilitaryParoleesVeterans |
Author: Holbrook, Justin G. Title: Veterans’ Courts and Criminal Responsibility: A Problem Solving History & Approach to the Liminality of Combat Trauma Summary: In September 2010, a federal judge dismissed a criminal case involving a veteran accused of assaulting a federal police officer to allow the case to be heard by the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court, a division of Buffalo City Court. For those involved in veterans’ advocacy and treatment, the case is significant for a number of reasons. First, it is the first criminal case nationwide to be transferred from federal court to a local veterans treatment court where the goal is to treat - rather than simply punish - those facing the liminal effects of military combat. Second, the case reignites the still unsettled controversy over whether problem-solving courts generally, and veterans courts specifically, unfairly shift the focus of justice away from the retributive interests of victims to the rehabilitative interests of perpetrators. Third, the case serves as a signal reminder to all justice system stakeholders, including parties, judges, attorneys, and treatment professionals, of the potential benefits of sidestepping courtroom adversity in favor of a coordinated effort that seeks to ameliorate victim concerns while advancing treatment opportunities for veterans suffering from combat-related trauma. This chapter explores these issues in light of the history of combat-related trauma and the development of veterans’ treatment courts around the country. Details: Chester, PA: Widener University School of Law, 2010. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Widener Law School Legal Studies Research Paper Series no. 10-43: Accessed May 15, 2013 at: https://d3gqux9sl0z33u.cloudfront.net/AA/AT/gambillingonjustice-com/downloads/205863/Veterans_Courts-Law_Article_Widener_Law_School.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: https://d3gqux9sl0z33u.cloudfront.net/AA/AT/gambillingonjustice-com/downloads/205863/Veterans_Courts-Law_Article_Widener_Law_School.pdf Shelf Number: 128736 Keywords: Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderProblem-Solving CourtsVeteransVeterans Courts |
Author: Holbrook, Justin G. Title: Veterans Courts: Early Outcomes and Key Indicators for Success Summary: The growing trend within the judicial, treatment, and advocacy communities toward specialized courts for military veterans raises important questions about the effectiveness of such courts in rehabilitating veterans. Both principally and practically, veterans courts observers may take opposing positions regarding the appropriateness and effectiveness of placing veterans in a specialized, treatment-based court program simply because of their military service. This chapter explores these challenging issues in two parts. First, we undertake a discussion of first principle concerns related to veterans courts by reviewing research studies examining the link between veterans and criminal misconduct. The return of 1.6 million veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has re-ignited the still unsettled controversy over whether veterans suffering from combat trauma are more likely than their non-veteran counterparts to commit criminal misconduct after returning home. While firm conclusions may be difficult (and unpopular) to draw, the issue warrants attention in any serious discussion about the merits and best practices of veterans court programs. Second, we present early findings from an assessment we conducted of the practices, procedures, and participant populations of certain veterans courts operating as of March 2011. Of the 53 courts invited to participate, 14 provided a response by completing either an online or paper survey. Of these, seven submitted sample policies and procedures, participant contracts, plea agreements, and mentor guidelines for our review. Drawing on these courts’ common practices and procedures, we identify key operational components courts should consider in implementing veterans court programs. We also conclude that veterans court outcomes, at least at present, appear at least as favorable as those of other specialized treatment courts. Details: Chester, PA: Widener University School of Law, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Widener Law School Legal Studies Research Paper No. 11-25: Accessed May 15, 2013 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1912655 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1912655 Shelf Number: 128737 Keywords: Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderProblem-Solving CourtsVeteransVeterans Courts |
Author: Baldwin, Julie Marie Title: Executive Summary: National Survey of Veterans Treatment Courts Summary: This summary reports the major results from the author’s dissertation research using data collected from a national survey administered to 79 Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) in 2012. This research produced a comprehensive national overview of VTCs; the complete findings, additional analysis, and an in-depth case study of a VTC can be found in her dissertation titled “Veterans Treatment Courts: Studying Dissemination, Implementation, and Impact of Treatment-Oriented Criminal Courts” (University of Florida). Details: Little Rock, AR: University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Department of Criminal Justice, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2013 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2274138 Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2274138 Shelf Number: 129168 Keywords: Problem-Solving CourtsVeteransVeterans Treatment Courts |
Author: Blodgett, Janet C. Title: A Structured Evidence Review to Identify Treatment Needs of Justice-Involved Veterans and Associated Psychological Interventions Summary: In order to better serve the population of justice-involved Veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed targeted Veterans Justice Programs (VJP), including Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) and Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV). To support the mission of VJP, this review synthesizes research relevant to (1) the unique treatment needs of justice-involved Veterans, with a primary focus on mental health needs, and (2) evidence-based and promising treatments for addressing these needs. This synthesis of unique treatment needs and best practices can serve as a guide for VJP that will allow it to capitalize on existing strengths of the program and promote further development of evidenced-based programs to address the needs of justice-involved Veterans both within and outside of VA. Details: Menlo Park, CA: Center for Health Care Evaluation VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 2013. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2013 at: http://www.ilapsc.org/pdfs/Justice-InvolvedVeteransStructuredEvidenceReviewFINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.ilapsc.org/pdfs/Justice-InvolvedVeteransStructuredEvidenceReviewFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 129188 Keywords: Inmates, VeteransMental Health TreatmentProblem-Solving CourtsReentryVeteransVeterans Treatment Courts |
Author: Phillips, Stephen Title: Former members of the armed forces and the criminal justice system: a review on behalf of the Secretary of State for Justice Summary: ▪ The vast majority of those who serve in the Armed Forces return to civilian life without problem and are less likely than their civilian counterparts to commit criminal offences. ▪ A small minority have difficulties and find themselves in trouble with the law. Their offending behaviour is unlikely to have been directly caused by their service in the Armed Forces, but is sometimes contributed to by their experiences and, on occasion, made possible by their training. Many service charities offer help to these individuals. ▪ Post-traumatic stress disorder is an overused explanation for the behaviour of this cohort of offenders, but poor mental health and substance misuse often contribute to their offending, alongside other risk factors such as homelessness and unemployment. ▪ The Armed Forces Covenant, which exists to recognise the sacrifices made by those who serve, requires the identification and appropriate treatment of this offender group at the earliest possible stage, both for their benefit and that of their families, as well as the public. Offenders should in future be asked at every stage of the criminal justice system whether they have served in the Armed Forces. ▪ Policy makers have previously been hindered by the absence of robust data enabling the identification of pathways effective in pre-venting offending on the part of those who have served in the Armed Forces. Such data must in future be routinely collected. ▪ Knowledge on the part of criminal justice professionals as to the needs of former service personnel is patchy and appropriate training a matter of luck. In future, all criminal justice professionals should have access to appropriate resources and training to enable effective intervention with former service personnel who have committed criminal offences. ▪ Not every custodial facility in England and Wales deals appropriately with, or permits its officers time sufficient to deal with, prisoners who have served in the Armed Forces. This hinders rehabilitation and resettlement efforts. The same is true of probation services. In future, appropriate schemes to deal with former service personnel serving custodial or community sentences must be rolled out on a national basis, drawing on current best practice in this area. ▪ Recently introduced Liaison and Diversion Schemes (which are due to be rolled out nationally in England by 2017/18) require the identification of effective pathways to prevent offending on the part of former service personnel. These efforts are important and should form a distinct part of the evaluation and development of best practice in this area. ▪ Lord Ashcroft's Veterans Transition Review contains a series of recommendations that are likely to have a positive effect in preventing offending by former service personnel. I understand from the Government's response to his review that many of these are now likely to be implemented. ▪ Some statutory agencies in England and Wales have established initiatives to identify and prevent offending behaviour on the part of former service personnel, principally by onward referral to third sec-tor and other support agencies. These schemes appear valuable and similar provision should be implemented nationally. ▪ A lack of national guidance to statutory agencies has previously hindered effective working with offenders who have served in the Armed Forces and led to piecemeal provision across England and Wales. To ensure consistency, a senior civil servant within the Ministry of Justice should be tasked to co-ordinate national policy, with the Secretary of State reporting annually to Parliament on progress in dealing with this offender group. ▪ There is limited evidence that courts established in the United States dealing specifically with offenders who have served in the Armed Forces are effective. The likelihood is that any effectiveness is the result of focussed interventions rather than the creation of such courts. Given the court system in England and Wales and the UK's smaller Armed Forces, such special courts are unlikely to be suitable for introduction here. Details: London: UK Government, 2014. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389964/former-members-of-the-armed-forces-and-the-criminal-justice-system.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389964/former-members-of-the-armed-forces-and-the-criminal-justice-system.pdf Shelf Number: 137471 Keywords: Armed ForcesPost-traumatic Stress SyndromeRehabilitationVeterans |
Author: Bronson, Jennifer Title: Veterans in Prison and Jail, 2011-2012 Summary: Presents counts and rates of veterans in state and federal prison and local jail in 2011 and 2012. This report describes incarcerated veterans by demographic characteristics, military characteristics, and disability and mental health status. It describes current offense, sentencing, and criminal history characteristics by veteran status. It also examines combat experience associated with lifetime mental health disorders among incarcerated veterans. Findings are based on data from the National Inmate Survey, conducted between February 2011 and May 2012. Data from previous BJS surveys of inmates in prison and jail are used to establish historical trends regarding incarcerated veterans. Highlights: The number of veterans incarcerated in state and federal prison and local jail decreased from 203,000 in 2004 to 181,500 in 201112. The total incarceration rate in 201112 for veterans (855 per 100,000 veterans in the United States) was lower than the rate for nonveterans (968 per 100,000 U.S. residents). Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic inmates made up a significantly smaller proportion of incarcerated veterans (38% in prison and 44% in jail), compared to incarcerated non-Hispanic black and Hispanic nonveterans (63% in prison and 59% in jail). A greater percentage of veterans (64%) than nonveterans (48%) were sentenced for violent offenses. An estimated 43% of veterans and 55% of nonveterans in prison had four or more prior arrests. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2015. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/vpj1112.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/vpj1112.pdf Shelf Number: 137800 Keywords: Jail InmatesMilitaryPrison InmatesPrisonersVeterans |
Author: Cheesman, Fred Title: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Veterans Treatment Court Performance Measures Summary: Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) are a relatively new type of problem-solving court. The first VTC was implemented in Buffalo, NY in 2008, serving military veterans utilizing a combination of several problem-solving court models. Since then, the number of VTCs implemented across the country has grown significantly, including seventeen VTCs in Pennsylvania. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) has been proactive in applying lessons learned in other problem-solving courts to VTCs. To that end, the AOPC has collaborated with the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) to develop the first set of performance measures specifically designed for VTCs. Performance measurement is considered an essential activity in many government and non-profit agencies because it "has a common sense logic that is irrefutable, namely that agencies have a greater probability of achieving their goals and objectives if they use performance measures to monitor their progress along these lines and then take follow-up actions as necessary to insure success" (Poister, 2003). Effectively designed and implemented performance measurement systems provide tools for managers to exercise and maintain control over their organizations, as well as mechanisms for governing bodies and funding agencies to hold programs accountable for producing intended results. The argument for measuring VTC performance is compelling because VTCs must compete with other priorities of the criminal justice system for a finite amount of resources. This makes it incumbent upon VTCs to demonstrate both that the limited resources provided to them are used efficiently and that this expenditure of resources produces the desired participant outcomes. To this end, VTC performance measures (PMs) should demonstrate that participants are receiving evidence-based treatment in sufficient doses, thereby improving their capability to function effectively in society. Performance measures should also illustrate that participants are held accountable and public safety is protected. Performance measurement is distinct from program evaluation and consequently does not attempt to ascertain a VTC's "value-added" over an appropriate "business-as-usual" alternative (typically probation or incarceration). Rather, PMs provide timely information about key aspects of the performance of the VTC to program managers and staff, enabling them to identify effective practices and, if warranted, to take corrective actions. The NCSC philosophy for the development of PMs is guided by several important principles. First, we aim for a small number of measures targeting the most critical of VTC processes. Second, PMs are developed with significant input from stakeholders. NCSC acts an informed facilitator, offering suggestions and making recommendations for PMs, but the ultimate decision is made by the advisory committee convened by the commonwealth agency responsible for VTCs. Third, the target audiences for the PMs are individual VTCs. That is, these measures are intended to provide information to individual courts to improve their performance. The information generated by the PMs will also be useful to commonwealth policy makers, but they are not the primary target audience. Fourth, PMs are well-documented. Detailed specification sheets documenting data sources, calculations, and interpretation are written for each PM, leaving little equivocation about the details of the PM. During a two-day meeting convened on June 24-25, 2014, a select group of veterans court stakeholders, AOPC staff, and NCSC staff worked together to produce a set of commonwealth-wide performance measures for veterans treatment courts. The stakeholder group (henceforth the Performance Measures Work Group) was diverse but representative of a variety of critical viewpoints including veterans court judges, coordinators, attorneys, probation officers, veterans justice outreach specialists, treatment team members, and staff from the AOPC. The project and the work of the work group was informed by a number of resources. Since research on VTCs is still in its infancy, the limited amount of VTC-specific research was supplemented by other relevant research related to adult drug courts, mental health courts, and court performance measurement. First, the NCSC team provided a document that included core performance measures for adult drug treatment courts and suggestions for areas specific to veterans for which to develop measures. Second, the work group referenced the only set of nationally articulated measures for drug courts (developed by the National Research Advisory Committee (NRAC). The NRAC measures were incorporated in this report, though in some cases amended to fit the particular circumstances of Pennsylvania VTCs. Third, the discussion was informed by previous work conducted by NCSC to develop performance measures for drug and mental health courts in other states (see Rubio, Cheesman, and Federspiel, 2008) and the latest research on evidence-based practices (e.g. Carey, Mackin, and Finigan, 2012). Finally, the High Performance Court Framework (Ostrom and Hanson, 2010) was used to ensure that the selected measures provided a "balanced" perspective that represents competing values (e.g. productivity, effectiveness, access). Details: Williamsburg, VA: National Center for State Courts, 2015. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: http://ncsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/spcts/id/302/rec/2 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://ncsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/spcts/id/302/rec/2 Shelf Number: 138378 Keywords: Military PersonnelProblem Solving CourtsVeteransVeterans Treatment Courts |
Author: Vakili, Bardis Title: Discharged, then Discarded: How U.S. Veterans are Banished by the Country they Swore to Protect Summary: Foreign-born soldiers have served the United States since the founding of the Republic. Their dedication to the military and to the country they love – indeed, for soldiers who came here as young children, the only country they've ever known – matches and often surpasses the commitment of the native born. Yet for some, honorable service has been rewarded with dishonorable actions on the part of a system they swore to defend and protect. They are members of what is unfortunately a growing brotherhood – veterans of the United States armed forces who have been unceremoniously deported. Many are combat veterans who sustained physical wounds and emotional trauma in conflicts going back to the war in Vietnam. Many have been decorated for their service. But service records notwithstanding, the U.S. has seen fit to kick them out of the country, sometimes for minor offenses that resulted in little if any incarceration. What’s worse, their military service entitled these men to naturalization. Many believed they became citizens by nature of their service and oath –some were told as much by their recruiters – and were never informed otherwise. They should all be U.S. citizens today, at home with their loved ones, but they languish in unfamiliar and often dangerous foreign places, unable in many cases to speak the native language, because of bureaucratic bungling and government indifference. Our report, Discharged, Then Discarded, documents our analysis of 59 cases of veterans who have been forced out of the country or are still in the U.S. but facing deportation. The vast majority of these men had been in the United States lawfully for decades and long ago lost any ties to the nations in which they were born. They were swept up in a backlash against immigrants that started in earnest 20 years ago with the passage of draconian laws that eliminated judicial discretion and reclassified many low-level offenses as "aggravated felonies" mandating deportation. In many cases, these were minor offenses committed by veterans who succumbed to the difficulties of readjusting to civilian life and paid their debt to society. Had they been naturalized, as they should have been after being honorably discharged, they would not have been forced to settle a second debt – lifetime banishment from the United States. In addition to the humiliation and ignominy of deportation, that banishment effectively denies these men access to often critically needed medical care. Regardless of immigration status, all U.S. military veterans are entitled to treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, but few deported veterans are granted the necessary waivers to access that care either in the states or abroad. In a few tragic cases, we found examples of veterans who could have been saved but died as their friends and loved ones tried desperately to cut through mountains of red tape. Banishment also wreaks havoc on the lives of the families left behind, who are overwhelmingly U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents themselves. Children grow up without their fathers, mothers raise families alone, and parents too old to travel cannot see their sons. Meanwhile, in some parts of the world, the deported veterans find themselves targets of recruitment efforts by cartels and gangs, and their resistance places their very lives at risk for the United States once again. The purpose of this report is to share the trends and patterns we have identified, to offer policy solutions to end the disgraceful practice of deporting veterans, address the needs of those who have been deported, and, ultimately, to help bring our banished veterans back home to the U.S. where they can be reunited with their families. Details: San Diego: American Civil Liberties Union of California: 2016. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2016 at: https://www.aclusandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DischargedThenDiscarded-ACLUofCA.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.aclusandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DischargedThenDiscarded-ACLUofCA.pdf Shelf Number: 146269 Keywords: DeportationEx-Military Military VeteransVeterans |
Author: Ford, Matt Title: Profile of Provision for Armed Forces Veterans under Probation Supervision Summary: This report builds on the Phillips Review into ex-armed forces personnel in the criminal justice system. Announced in January 2014 and published in November the same year, the Phillips Review aimed to 'identify properly the reasons for ex-service personnel ending up in the criminal justice system, to look at the support provided to them and how that support could be improved.' It covered both custody and the community, and made a series of recommendations. With respect to probation, these included: routine identification of veterans, as well as collection of data on offences convicted for and the factors and characteristics associated with their conviction; for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) to publish guidance on how to address the needs of convicted veterans on probation within twelve months of the release of the Review; that NOMS work with service charities and other bodies to better coordinate support for veterans in criminal justice; and, that a senior civil servant within the Ministry of Justice should be appointed to have responsibility for ex-armed forces personnel involved with the criminal justice system, aiming to implement an identifiable national strategy in England and Wales for best practice in working with this group. The Phillips Review is underpinned by the Armed Forces Covenant, which states that no-one who has served in HM armed forces should face disadvantage in public or commercial services, and in some cases should receive special consideration. With respect to involvement with the criminal justice system, this would refer to how military service may relate to their conviction. Reforms to the probation service under the Government’s Transforming Rehabilitation agenda began during the period of Phillips. Under this programme the 35 old Probation Trusts were replaced by a single National Probation Service responsible for supervising 'high risk' convicted offenders, and 21 privately owned Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) which would supervise ‘medium’ to 'low risk' convicted offenders. Contracts to run these CRCs were awarded in December 2014, and these providers have since been building supply chains made up of public, private, and voluntary sector organisations which are subcontracted to supply services. Details: London: Forces in Mind Trust, Probation Institute and Centre for Crime and Justice Studies 2016. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://probation-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Veterans-Probation-Report-Final-PDF1.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://probation-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Veterans-Probation-Report-Final-PDF1.pdf Shelf Number: 144822 Keywords: Armed Forces Community SupervisionPost-traumatic Stress Syndrome ProbationProbationersRehabilitationVeterans |
Author: Donahue, Hal Title: Law Enforcement Officers Respecting Service, Restoring Honor for Vets in Crisis Summary: This white paper is based on a series of interviews, buttressed by personal observations, of key players in several jurisdictions where law enforcement officers, Veteran Justice Outreach specialists from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and community-based agency representatives collaborate to implement approaches to de-escalate veterans in crisis in our communities. These programs are improving public safety. They are creating opportunities for veterans struggling to re-acclimate to civilian life. These traumatized men -and increasingly women - receive the help they need to address mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, related to their military experiences. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections, 2019. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2019 at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/UserShared/033091.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://nicic.gov/law-enforcement-officers-respecting-service-restoring-honor-vets-crisis Shelf Number: 156155 Keywords: Community Engagement Community-Based Agencies Law Enforcement Officers Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Veterans |
Author: San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Title: Veterans Moving Forward: Process and Impact Evaluation Results from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department VMF Program Summary Overview Summary: In 2014, SANDAG applied for and received funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to conduct a process and impact evaluation of the Veterans Moving Forward (VMF) program that was created by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department in partnership with the San Diego Veterans Administration (VA) in 2013. VMF is a veteran-only housing unit for male inmates who have served in the U.S. military. When the grant was written, experts in the field had noted that the population of veterans returning to the U.S. with numerous mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and depression, were increasing and as a result, the number of veterans incarcerated in jails and prisons was also expected to increase. While numerous specialized courts for veterans had been implemented across the country at the time, veteran-specific housing units for those already sentenced to serve time in custody were rarer and no evaluations of these units had been published. Since this evaluation grant was awarded, the number of veteran-only housing units has increased, demonstrating the need for more evaluation information regarding lessons learned. A core goal when creating VMF was to structure an environment for veterans to draw upon the positive aspects of their shared military culture, create a safe place for healing and rehabilitation, and foster positive peer connections. There are several components that separate VMF from traditional housing with the general population that relate to the overall environment, the rehabilitative focus, and initiation of reentry planning as early as possible. These components include the selection of correctional staff with military backgrounds and an emphasis on building on their shared experience and connecting through it; a less restrictive and more welcoming environment that includes murals on the walls and open doors; no segregation of inmates by race/ethnicity; incentives including extended dayroom time and use of a microwave and coffee machine (under supervision); mandatory rehabilitative programming that focuses on criminogenic and other underlying risks and needs or that are quality of life focused, such as yoga, meditation, and art; a VMF Counselor who is located in the unit to provide one-on-one services to clients, as well as provide overall program management on a day-to-day basis; the regular availability of VA staff in the unit, including linkages to staff knowledgeable about benefits and other resources available upon reentry; and the guidance and assistance of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to support reentry transition for individuals needing additional assistance. The general criteria for housing in this veteran module includes: (1) not being at a classification level above a four, which requires a maximum level of custody; (2) not having less than 30 days to serve in custody; (3) no state or federal prison holds and/or prison commitments; (4) no fugitive holds; (5) no prior admittance to the psychiatric security unit or a current psychiatric hold; (6) not currently a Post-Release Community Supervision Offender serving a term of flash incarceration; (7) not in custody for a sex-related crime or requirement to register per Penal Code 290; (8) no specialized housing requirements including protective custody, administration segregation, or medical segregation; and (9) no known significant disciplinary incidents. Discharge status from the military was not an eligibility factor. Details: San Diego, California: San Diego Association of Governments, 2019. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 10, 2019 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/252916.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/252916.pdf Shelf Number: 156206 Keywords: Depression Incarcerated Veterans Male Inmates Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Prisoners Veterans |
Author: Dempsey, Catherine L. Title: Association of Firearm Ownership, Use, Accessibility, and Storage Practices with Suicide Risk Among US Army Soldiers Summary: Importance: Since 2004, the suicide rate among US Army soldiers has exceeded the rate of death from combat injury. It is critical to establish factors that increase the risk of acting on suicidal thoughts to guide early intervention and suicide prevention. Objective: To assess whether firearm ownership, use, storage practices, and accessibility are associated with increased risk of suicide. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this case-control study, suicide cases (n = 135) were defined as US Army soldiers who died by suicide while on active duty between August 1, 2011, and November 1, 2013. Next-of-kin and Army supervisors of soldiers who died by suicide (n = 168) were compared with propensity-matched controls (n = 137); those soldiers with a suicidal ideation in the past year (n = 118) provided structured interview data. Data were analyzed from April 5, 2018, to April 2, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Firearm ownership, storage, and accessibility were assessed by using items from the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview screening scales along with items created for the purpose of the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) study. Results: Among the 135 suicide decedents, next-of-kin reported that they had greater accessibility to firearms compared with propensity-matched controls. Specifically, suicide decedents were more likely to own 1 or more handguns compared with propensity-matched controls (odds ratio [OR], 1.9; 95% CI, 1.0-3.7; x21 = 4.2; false discovery rate [FDR] P = .08), store a loaded gun at home (OR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.9-9.1; x21 = 12.2; FDR P = .003), and publicly carry a gun when not required for military duty (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.4-7.3; x21 = 7.4; FDR P = .02). The combination of these 3 items was associated with a 3-fold increase in the odds of suicide death (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-9.4; x21 = 5.4; FDR P = .05). Storing a loaded gun with ammunition at home or publicly carrying a gun when not on duty was associated with a 4-fold increase in the odds of suicide death (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.9-7.9; x21 = 14.1; FDR P = .002). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, in addition to gun ownership, ease and immediacy of firearm access were associated with increased suicide risk. Discussion with family members and supervisors about limiting firearm accessibility should be evaluated for potential intervention. Details: Chicago, Illinois: The Journal of American Medicine (JAMA), 2019. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2019 at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2735465 Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2735465 Shelf Number: 156388 Keywords: Case StudyFirearm OwnershipFirearmsGun ViolenceMental HealthSuicide RiskVeterans |