Veteran Incarceration: Lived Experience and Pathways to Rehabilitation

Through qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated veterans, this book focuses on the lived experiences, and behaviors associated with the incarceration of veterans. Guided by the life-course perspective, the authors have identified novel turning-point behaviors linked with incarceration. They provide an in-depth and nuanced understanding of veteran incarceration, blend veteran-centric behaviors with known incarceration factors (i.e., substance use and mental health disorders), and provide a glimpse into how these behaviors interact with other known factors (i.e., homelessness and unemployment). Understanding veterans’ lived experiences with incarceration can provide policymakers and practitioners with the foundation for disrupting the incarceration cycle and positively impacting mental health and substance use problems, homelessness, and unemployment. The authors discuss social and health policy implications and provide recommendations on future research on veteran populations. This volume is enlightening and inspiring for researchers and scholars in public health, social work, and sociology/criminal justice programs, as well as all policymakers and practitioners concerned with veterans‘ adjustment to civilian life.

Jason D. Flake is a veteran of the armed forces and retired law enforcement officer. He is a research scientist at the VA North Texas Health Care System conducting research that focuses on identifying mental health and substance use treatment barriers among justice-involved veterans.

Steven L. Arxer is Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology & Anthropology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He also serves as co-investigator and lead qualitative researcher on a study that explores intervention strategies to help veteran’s better transition from prison back to society.

James P. LePage is the Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development for the VA North Texas Health Care and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He also serves as a principal investigator on the Veterans Affairs’ Office of Research and Development funded research consortium “Supporting Employment and
Resources for Veterans' Economic Security.”