Veterans Justice Programs: Services for Veterans Involved in the Criminal Justice System — Co-Sponsored by NIC

An article in the November/December 2021 edition of American Jails, “Assisting the Justice Involved Veteran,” highlighted the challenges of veterans who are incarcerated and the innovations that local jails are developing to serve these veterans. This includes better identification of veterans in jails, responsive treatment while veterans are incarcerated, and development of veterans housing units within jails. This workshop builds on the American Jails content by providing an in-depth description of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services for justice-involved veterans. Known as the Veterans Justice Programs (VJP), VA services facilitate access to needed VA health care and other services for veterans at all stages of the criminal justice process—from initial contact with law enforcement through community reentry following extended incarceration. Attendees are introduced to the work of VJP specialists in partnership with 1,800 county jails across the U.S. In addition, the workshop describes the veterans seen by these specialists and the connections these veterans make to VA healthcare, as well as the relationship these specialists formed with local criminal justice partners that allow access to these veterans. In addition, attendees hear a local example of jail outreach, assessment, and connection to community services offered by a local Veterans Justice Outreach team that serves the Los Angeles County Jail system (particularly the Twin Towers Correctional Facility and the North County Correctional Facility) and conducted in partnership with Los Angeles Sheriff Department’s Community Transition Unit staff.