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Addressing Victimization/ Herring promoted when starting The numbers and statistics attest
Vulnerability the detention center’s “Stars and to the program’s success. From
A core issue among the veteran’s Stripes” housing unit. This general January 2015 through December
population in detention facilities is population housing unit offers 2019, 1,197 inmates went through
victimization/vulnerability. Once incarcerated veterans the opportu- the program. Of the 196 inmates
addressed through proper program nity to volunteer within the Harris who returned to the jail, or a recidi-
case management, individuals can County facility. vism rate of 16%, 143 chose to reen-
work toward healing and transform The Stars and Stripes program ter the Stars and Stripes program.
their lives. The history of cases was initiated in the Harris County The community has responded in
show that many jailed veterans facility in 2014 and focuses on spe- an overwhelmingly positive manner
joined or “ran” to the military to cific principles and goals: as well, acting as an extended fam-
get away from a problem that they • Each person is evaluated individ- ily of support and accountability.
could not manage. ually. A risk/needs responsivity One of the conditions for participat-
The military introduces structure assessment is then conducted to ing in the program is that formerly
and discipline but does not provide understand the factors in a per- incarcerated individuals give back
therapy for underlying emotional son’s life that have contributed to in a mentoring role in what becomes
or psychiatric problems; therefore, their situation and to understand a meaningful extended family of
mental health issues tend to remain the community resources needed caregivers.
suppressed. Working together in to help that person.
counseling and one-on-one sessions • The specific offenses that the Camaraderie Through Housing
helps to break down barriers of the person has been charged with or Innovative approaches in inmate
separate service branches, so they is the basis for incarceration is programs and housing are help-
see themselves as a unit with com- not an issue. Understanding their ing to reduce recidivism and treat
mon ground and purpose. mental state and/or potential mental health for jailed veterans.
Additionally, coordinating substance abuse history is part of Another approach is to adopt some
funding sources with court- and the assessment. of the common principles associ-
community-based programs are • The 90-day program is strength- ated with military training, includ-
helping veterans reverse the nega- focused to reward and build on ing allowing inmates to reflect the
tive impacts that contributed to the positive attributes of person- identity of their service in their
their incarceration. Some of these ality or character, in contrast to dayrooms and housing.
programs include working with: a punitive approach where they Major Eleanor Jones has the
• community-based sources to are punished for failures. command of Detention Support
address the impacts of post-trau- Once the inmate assessment has Services in the Harris County
matic stress disorder (PTSD), and been conducted and an understand- Detention Center that encompasses
• courts and case management to ing established, the Harris County the Stars and Stripes program run
address issues related to sub- Sheriff’s Office program reaches out by Herring. The trust and goodwill
stance abuse and addiction. to find stakeholders outside the jail. that grows out of shared associa-
The program brings them into the tion of military services is a bond
Getting Started Right with “Stars facility to assist with counseling in reflected in the unit’s design. The
unit also provides:
and Stripes” one-on-one and group settings to
Jennifer Herring, manager of deal with specific issues: • Lower level of security
Inmate Programs and Re-Entry • Anger • Walls painted with patriotic
at the Harris County Detention • Conflict resolution murals
Center in Houston, Texas, and • Psychological counseling
social worker by training, repeat- • How to manage and accept • Interaction with outside agen-
edly observed instances in which change cies through the Veterans
waiting to treat inmates as part of • Health issues Administration (VA)
the reentry process was too little, The program is a rigorous “feet-
too late. It became clear that for the on-the-floor” period of activity from Stars and Stripes builds on
focused preparation of reentry to be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The inmate other more general programs
effective, the process of preparation must voluntarily participate and in the detention center, such as
actually needed to begin when the engage in the training. “It is a lot of “Mentoring Moms” and “Fathers
individual was first brought into work, but the successes far exceed First” that work with women (preg-
the facility. Thus, the phrase “The the failures,” said Herring in a nant and post-partum) and men
Time is Now” became the message recent phone interview.

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