Studies show that deployment-related trauma exposure, combined with increased incidence of mental health and substance use disorders, elevate veterans’ risk of contact with the justice system. For example, one study showed that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder had a 61% higher chance of criminal justice system involvement than veterans without PTSD. Another study found that justice-involved veterans were almost three times as likely as other veterans to have attempted suicide in their lifetime.
These early stages of the criminal justice process are critical, as they provide a key opportunity to identify the challenges facing veterans and to connect them to services and benefits tailored to help them address those challenges.
This interactive webinar covers several topics to get you started with beginning (or improving existing) identification efforts in your organization, office, or community. Participants will:
- Discover how identification efforts can give your organization more visibility with at-risk and vulnerable veterans in your community.
- Recognize how identification processes can ensure veterans can assess the treatment and programs they need.
- Learn about the Department of Veterans Affairs tools, Veterans Reentry Search Service and Status Query and Response Exchange System (SQUARES), that allow law enforcement, jails, prisons, and courts to independently verify the veteran status of individuals.
Speakers:
Matt Doss - Program Manager, Project Lead Illinois Veteran Deflection, TASC’s Center for Health and Justice
Katie Wilson - Indiana Court of Technology, Office of Judicial Administration, Indiana Supreme Court
Kari Jackson - Local Inmate Data System (LIDS) Manager, Virginia State Compensation Board
Stephani Carlton - Statewide Veterans Service Manager, Virginia Department of Corrections
Also including NIC Staff:
Archie Weatherspoon IV, National Programs Advisor, National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice
Jim Wiseman, National Programs Advisor, National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice
Jeff Hanson, National Programs Advisor, National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice
