Dr. Rosenthal is Retired National Training Director, Veterans Justice Programs, Veterans Health Administration, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. Dr. Finlay is Research Health Scientist, Center for Innovation to Implementation, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto, California.
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2022 Mar;50(1):106-116. doi: 10.29158/JAAPL.210047-21. Epub 2022 Jan 10.
Military veterans are a unique population within the criminal justice system. Numerous criminal justice reforms for this population exist, but there is a dearth of research summarizing and critiquing past and ongoing efforts directed at veterans. This article examines the partnerships developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs with criminal justice agencies to address the needs of justice-involved veterans. Despite these efforts, there is more to be done to support veterans. We provide recommendations for agencies, including enhanced identification of veterans in criminal justice settings, delivery of services to a wider range of veterans, enhancement of partnered relationships with law enforcement, recalibration of the role of Veterans Treatment Courts in the continuum of justice system offerings, expansion of trauma-informed care throughout the criminal justice and partnered health care systems, and sustainment of reform efforts and innovations through advisory bodies. Rigorous research to evaluate reform efforts are needed across all areas. The Veterans Affairs' continuing role as partner to criminal justice agencies and in reform efforts is critical, and improving linkage to and use of health care will result in enhanced health and other outcomes for veterans involved in the criminal justice system.
退伍军人是刑事司法系统中的一个独特群体。针对这一群体存在许多刑事司法改革，但缺乏对过去和正在进行的针对退伍军人的努力进行总结和批评的研究。本文探讨了退伍军人事务部与刑事司法机构之间为满足涉刑退伍军人的需求而建立的伙伴关系。尽管做出了这些努力，但仍有更多工作要做，以支持退伍军人。我们为各机构提供了建议，包括在刑事司法环境中更有效地识别退伍军人，向更广泛的退伍军人提供服务，加强与执法部门的合作关系，调整退伍军人治疗法庭在司法系统服务连续体中的作用，在整个刑事司法和合作医疗系统中扩大创伤知情护理，并通过顾问机构维持改革努力和创新。需要在所有领域进行严格的研究，以评估改革努力。退伍军人事务部作为刑事司法机构和改革努力的合作伙伴的持续作用至关重要，改善与医疗保健的联系和利用将改善参与刑事司法系统的退伍军人的健康和其他结果。
