Varieties of Veterans’ Courts: A Statewide Assessment of Veterans’ Treatment Court Components

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 740-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne S. Douds ◽  
Eileen M. Ahlin ◽  
Daniel Howard ◽  
Sarah Stigerwalt
Keyword(s):  
Program Planning ◽  
Treatment Needs ◽  
Program Planning And Evaluation ◽  
Statewide Assessment ◽  
Veterans Treatment Court ◽  
Treatment Courts ◽  
Outcome Evaluations ◽  
Veterans Treatment Courts ◽  
Treatment Court ◽  
Common Components

Since the mid-2000s, there has been an upsurge in the development of Veterans’ Treatment Courts (VTCs) to support justice-involved veterans’ treatment needs while also providing criminal justice supervision. Despite their prolific development in recent years, there is a dearth of scholarly research on how VTCs are structured and whether there are common components across courts. There is a need to understand how VTCs are structured and operationally implemented to inform additional program planning and evaluation. To bridge this gap in the literature, this study provides a statewide assessment of the 17 VTCs operating in Pennsylvania, identifies six common components, and highlights areas in which their implementation diverges between courts to meet the specific needs of veterans across Pennsylvania. The results of this study provide a baseline framework to aid future researchers in conducting process and outcome evaluations by documenting and examining the common components of VTCs.

A Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of Veterans Treatment Court Graduates in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice D. McCall ◽  
Keri L. Rodriguez ◽  
Debra Barnisin-Lange ◽  
Adam J. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Positive Reinforcement ◽  
Treatment Team ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Treatment Readiness ◽  
Major Metropolitan Area ◽  
Veterans Treatment Court ◽  
History Of ◽  
Treatment Courts ◽  
Veterans Treatment Courts ◽  
Treatment Court

U.S. Veterans treatment courts (VTCs) serve justice-involved Veterans with behavioral health and reintegration issues. However, there is paucity of efforts examining VTC participants’ experiences and distinguishing the unique operations of VTCs. We summarize a descriptive history of a large VTC program in a major metropolitan area (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and examine the experiences of this VTC’s participants. We used content analysis to code VTC graduation proceeding transcripts with complementary content data from resources distributed by the presiding Judge to entering participants. From 2009 through 2016, 118 Veterans were graduated, averaging 9 to 12 months for completion for those with felony or non-felony charges, and blended monitoring with positive reinforcement within a three-stage program. From 62 VTC graduates across eight graduations, testimonies centered on gratitude toward the treatment team, treatment readiness, treatments received, and reintegration. As several theoretical frameworks on behavior change exist, opportunities remain to enhance the delivery of the VTC.

A National Survey of Veterans Treatment Court Actors

2020 ◽  
pp. 088740342091141
Author(s):  
Samantha Luna ◽  
Allison D. Redlich
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Veterans Treatment Court ◽  
Treatment Courts ◽  
Violent Offenses ◽  
National Survey Of Veterans ◽  
Veterans Treatment Courts ◽  
Treatment Court ◽  
Research And Policy

Several controversies surround Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs), such as excluding veterans who commit violent offenses and requiring a direct relationship between a veteran’s charges and mental health diagnosis. The aim of this study was to examine VTC actors’ perceptions of these issues via a national survey. VTC Judges, Coordinators, and Veterans Affairs liaisons were presented two randomly assigned hypothetical clients and asked their perceptions of the hypothetical clients’ eligibility for VTC. The violent crime committed by the clients and their mental health diagnoses were manipulated in these scenarios. Participants were also asked for their perceptions of VTC issues and to describe the current practices of their VTCs. Results indicated participants were supportive of the domestic violence client’s participation in VTC, regardless of diagnosis, however most were not supportive of the involuntary manslaughter clients’ participation. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.

If You Build It, Will Vets Come? An Identity Theory Approach to Expanding Veterans’ Treatment Court Participation

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-336
Author(s):  
Eileen M. Ahlin ◽  
Anne S. Douds
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
The United States ◽  
Court Case ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Case Processing ◽  
Veteran Status ◽  
Veterans Treatment Court ◽  
Treatment Courts ◽  
Veterans Treatment Courts

Veterans’ treatment courts (VTCs) provide a veteran-centric diversion option to traditional court case processing. These courts have proliferated across the United States without much consideration about whether veterans want, or need, a specialty court. In this article, we investigate the underlying importance of a veteran identity in the decision to enroll in a VTC. Based on in-depth qualitative interviews with veterans, we identify four primary implications for practitioners. First, veterans are ashamed of their criminal justice involvement. Second, they are concerned about increased punitiveness by criminal justice actors, particularly law enforcement, because of their veteran status. Third, veterans perceive the VTC process to bestow upon them stigma and retaliation. Fourth, veterans resist VTC involvement for fear of dishonoring their branch of service. To expand enrollment, results demonstrate that practitioners should consider how veterans reconcile their veteran and offender identities when considering VTC enrollment.

Veteran Treatment Court Clients’ Perceptions of Procedural Justice and Recidivism

2020 ◽  
pp. 088740342092033
Author(s):  
Cassandra A. Atkin-Plunk ◽  
Gaylene S. Armstrong ◽  
Nicky Dalbir
Keyword(s):  
Procedural Justice ◽  
Criminal Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Client Perceptions ◽  
Southern State ◽  
Treatment Courts ◽  
Current Sample ◽  
Veterans Treatment Courts ◽  
Treatment Court

Studies surrounding the effectiveness of veterans’ treatment courts (VTCs) are now emerging. Absent from this scholarship is an examination of the presence of procedural justice within VTCs and the influence of procedural justice on future criminal behavior of VTC clients. To begin this dialogue, this study surveys 41 clients enrolled in two VTCs in a Southern state. We explore client perceptions of procedurally just treatment by their judge and assigned supervision officer. Using an average follow-up time of 20 months, this study also examines the effects of perceptions of procedural justice on recidivism of court clients. Results find VTC clients perceive their judge and supervision officer treat them in a procedurally just manner. Interestingly, perceptions of procedural justice during interactions did not result in reduced recidivism among the current sample. Policy and program implications along with recommendations for future research are provided.

Characteristics of Nonviolent Versus Violent Offenders in Veterans Treatment Court

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danica E. Jardini ◽  
Alexandra Garber ◽  
Rachael M. Guerra ◽  
Christopher M. Weaver
Keyword(s):  
Violent Offenders ◽  
Veterans Treatment Court ◽  
Treatment Court

Hazardous Duty: Investigating Resistance to Police at the Point of Arrest Among Incarcerated Military Veterans

2021 ◽  
pp. 0095327X2110420
Author(s):  
Mark A. Morgan ◽  
Matthew W. Logan ◽  
Ashley N. Arnio
Keyword(s):  
Military Service ◽  
Criminal History ◽  
Prison Inmates ◽  
Police Contact ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Treatment Courts ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Exact Moment ◽  
Veterans Treatment Courts ◽  
And Training

The link between military service and crime has been a subject of investigation for several decades. Although research has examined the likelihood of arrest, incarceration, and recidivism across military cohorts, relatively little is known about the circumstances surrounding police contact and suspect behavior at the exact moment of arrest. This is a critical oversight given that what transpires during an arrest can have a marked impact on downstream criminal justice outcomes, including access to diversionary programming like veterans treatment courts. Using a nationally representative survey of prison inmates, this study analyzes veteran and nonveteran self-reports of their arrest controlling for a host of relevant demographic, mental health, and criminal history variables. Findings indicate that veterans are significantly less likely to resist the police at arrest. These results provide further support to the sentiment that military culture and training can have a lasting behavioral influence on those who experience it.

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