Page 27 - 2021_American Jails NovDec

Across the country, jail operators • About 1 in 4 male veterans in state
strive to implement programs and (28%) and 1 in 5 in federal (21%)
strategies to reduce recidivism and prison were combat veterans.
promote rehabilitation for their inmate • An estimated 74% of male veterans
populations. These programs help to in state prison and 77% of those in
address specific problems associated federal prison received an honor-
with root causes that often contribute to able discharge or a general discharge
incarceration, such as substance abuse under honorable conditions.
and mental health disorders. For many, • Male veterans in state prison (26%)
success is dependent on programming were twice as likely as male non-vet-
designed with an understanding of the erans in state prison (12%) to be serv-
nuances of a specific population. ing time for a violent sexual offense.
When it comes to designing for
In a 2015 literature review by Bradley
incarcerated veterans, numerous coun- J. Schaffer, Incarcerated Veterans Outreach
ties are seeing transformative outcomes Program, a study was performed to
by encouraging individuals to associate identify and facilitate reentry services
their experiences and common ground for military veterans in the criminal
from military training. By examining justice system. Schaffer took a sample
and applying best practices throughout of 399 incarcerated veterans who were
the country, jail operators can help vet- in state prisons, county jails, and com-
erans rebuild their lives at a success rate munity corrections. He identified the
that exceeds the general population.
following:
• Average age: 44.6
A Look at Statistics
The public is likely unaware of the • More likely to be white males
staggering number of veterans in the • Divorced
general population of our jails and • Most were honorably discharged
prisons. This past March, the U.S. • Represented the following eras:
Bureau of Justice Statistics published
a 2016 survey on veterans in prisons. — 34% post-Vietnam
The following summary highlights the — 26% Persian Gulf War
key numbers based on demograph- — 5% Operation Iraqi Freedom/
ics of the veteran, offense, sentencing Operation Enduring Freedom
and military characteristics, including By collecting this data, Schaffer’s
military branch, combat experience, and goal was to encourage the development
discharge type: of successful reentry outreach models
• An estimated 107,400 veterans were and strategies to prevent episodes of
serving time in state or federal prison criminal recidivism. Having a clear
in 2016—the majority (98%) of which understanding of the veteran popula-
were male. tion helps to succinctly create programs
• The majority of male veterans in for veterans that respond to their spe-
state (56%) and federal (53%) prison cific population needs.
served in the Army.

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