Incarcerated Military Veteran Assistance Program

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

More than 2 million American military members have already served in the nation’s conflicts, thousands more serve each year, and many are returning home deeply troubled by their experiences. About a third of these individuals suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, depression, or other mental illness. At least a fifth struggle with drug or alcohol dependency. Research has shown that mental illness and substance abuse are the greatest predictive factors for incarceration. It is an unfortunate fact that many US military veterans find themselves in jail. Experience has shown that most of these men and women suffer from high rates of substance abuse, homelessness, physical disabilities, and mental health issues. Under federal law, veterans aren’t permitted to access VA services while they are incarcerated. To meet this growing challenge, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Offender Services Bureau, has created a unique in-custody assistance program for US military veterans. This program begins at initial booking and continues with services rendered throughout an offender’s stay in custody, and upon release the veteran has already been enrolled in a pipeline of community-based services to improve the veteran’s chances to transition to a stable, crime-free, self-sustaining life.