There is a high prevalence of criminal justice system involvement among veterans experiencing homelessness, with some estimates indicating that as many as one-half of all veterans experiencing homelessness are involved in the justice system. Strategies to end veteran homelessness must therefore also encompass efforts to address and reduce justice system involvement. One starting point for this is to include criminal justice settings as part of the locations where veterans experiencing and at-risk of homelessness are identified and engaged, spanning every step in the criminal justice process, from arrest to reintegration back to society. Some key approaches include:

In-reach efforts into jails and prisons as communities identify and engage all Veterans who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness,

Partnerships with corrections departments to prevent the homelessness of Veterans who are re-entering the community from prison or jail, and

Collaborations with law enforcement agencies and courts to divert Veterans from jail or advance alternatives to incarceration.

This webinar — hosted by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), the NCHV NVTAC, and VA’s Veterans Justice Programs — provides information to help communities integrate criminal justice system partnerships into their effort to prevent and end homelessness among veterans. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, July 8, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT.

For more information and to register for Breaking the Cycle of Incarceration and Homelessness Among Veterans, click here

Author Details Author Details VT Senior Editors Sorry! The Author has not filled his profile.