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from UHD each semester to assist
with several day-to-day support
functions of the program.
In return, the students receive
a hands-on learning experience of
the dynamic criminal justice sys-
tem. They meet different levels of
employees from the various areas of
the Harris County Sheriff’s Office
and directly interact with the inmate
population. Several volunteers from
Anthony Graves Book Club group the Chaplaincy Department provide
religious needs and classes.
• Logistically, moving multiple • case management, Our time with the VJO represen-
men from multiple floors was • community resources that tative was limited to once per week,
problematic. address their needs, and and Mr. Holland could only come
• Veterans were located in three • determining if they are eligible in quarterly. Therefore, we supple-
mented time with constructive
separate buildings. for these programs. classes such as:
• Some missed meals or receiving For the justice-involved veteran, • Anger Management
medications. The count was often access to VA programs is crucial
interrupted if the allotted meet- to making a difference in their life • Parenting
ing time went over. upon release from custody. • Recovery Support groups,
The solution was to find hous- Regarding the officers for the Alcoholics Anonymous,
ing where the veterans could be unit, it was imperative to select Narcotics Anonymous
together in the same unit to in order those who understand the needs of • Sexually transmitted diseases/
to conduct business and provide justice-involved veterans and have sexually transmitted infections
resource education. knowledge of the military struc- education
ture. Therefore, staff selection was • Financial education
Creating the Program based on the individual’s previous • Authentic Manhood classes
By January 2019, we had identi- military experience. This provided a • Mental health education and
fied 312 veterans housed in our level of structure and mutual under- awareness
custody. The available veteran pro- standing of the expectations and the
gramming at that time only allowed purpose of the program. • Community-building activities
housing for 48 men who qualified In addition, the jail needs to hold • Healthy relationships
to participate in a case-management itself to a level of trust and account- The programming community
intensive reentry program. On ability instead of adding to the is encouraged to practice lessons
February 21, 2019, the Brothers in broken promises already experi- peer to peer. After 60 days, the men
Arms program was established in a enced by the veteran inmates. There are eligible to receive a certificate
56-man tank that met their hous- also needs to be a level of account- of participation. They are encour-
ing needs. The program coordina- ability on the veteran’s part with the aged to stay in the program if they
tor acted as a conduit to providing expectation that he will fully invest continue to grow and their behav-
the resources and communication his time in the program to achieve ior is conducive to the program-
needed for these justice-involved the benefits that would improve his ming community. Certificates are
veterans. life outside of custody. essential to the men as it provides
The Brothers in Arms program The program relies heavily on proof to the court staff that they are
was also created to provide former volunteers and community partners productive with their time.
service members with knowledge to efficiently provide resources and In July 2019, the program
and access to the benefits they had education to the participants on a expanded by moving a unit in
earned during their time in the mili- structured schedule. Each entity the new Joint Processing Center
tary. These benefits include provides an invaluable service to that can accommodate up to 72
• housing, Brothers in Arms participants. In men—making it the largest justice-
• medical and mental health addition to the services already involved veteran services unit in
services, provided by the VA/VJO and TVC, Texas. This space has 24 windows
UHD provides several students to allow for sunlight, doors on the

20 | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2021 AMERICANJails