The Veterans Justice Commission is examining the extent and nature of veterans’ involvement in the criminal justice system and developing recommendations for evidence-based policy changes that enhance safety, health, and justice.
Launched in August 2022, the Commission is assessing the risk factors that drive veterans’ justice-system involvement, the adequacy of transitional assistance for military service members as they reenter civilian life, and the effectiveness of the justice system response when veterans break the law.
The Commission is chaired by former U.S. Defense Secretary and U.S. Senator Charles Hagel and includes former defense secretary and White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta as well as 13 other leaders representing veterans, the military, the Veterans Administration, community advocates, and various sectors of the justice system.
Commission Recommendations
From Duty to Dignity: Supporting Service Members in Their Transition to Civilian Life
In its second set of recommendations, the Veterans Justice Commission proposed a series of actions to boost support for service members in transition.
Honoring Service, Advancing Safety: Supporting Veterans From Arrest Through Sentencing
The Challenge
The Opportunity
Commission Publications
Racial Disparities Among Veterans
What does the data tell us about racial disparities among veterans? This fact sheet provides a snapshot, examining the racial breakdown for arrests, incarceration, homelessness, military justice, and more.
Unwavering Intent: Congress’ Enduring Commitment to Veterans Benefits
The VA denies benefits to service members assigned an “other than honorable” discharge. Does that practice align with what Congress intended, and what’s best for veterans and public safety?
From Service to Sentencing: Unraveling Risk Factors for Criminal Justice Involvement Among U.S. Veterans
How might military service be linked to criminal justice system involvement? This brief explores risk factors that may explain connections between service and criminal behavior among U.S. veterans.
Suicide Among Justice-Involved Veterans: Understanding Risk and Meeting Needs
This brief examines research on the overlapping risk factors for veteran suicide and justice system involvement, as well as some unique effects that criminal justice contact may have on veteran suicide.
Alternatives to Prosecution and Incarceration for Justice-Involved Veterans: A Model Policy Framework
Veterans encountering the criminal justice system confront a patchwork of interventions designed to help them, but many fall through the cracks. This policy roadmap outlines a better approach.
Who's a Veteran? Challenges in Defining and Identifying Veteran Status
Who qualifies as a veteran, and why does it matter? The lack of a uniform definition has important implications for justice-involved veterans.
From Service Through Reentry: A Preliminary Assessment of Veterans in the Criminal Justice System
A preliminary assessment of the current evidence about American veterans’ interactions with the civilian criminal justice system reviews four categories: risk factors, transition from service, and the so-called front and back ends of the justice system.
Commission Members
Dr. Andrea Finlay, PhD
(Liaison)
Veterans Administration Center for Innovation to Implementation
Pelicia Hall
ViaPath Technologies
Former Commissioner
Mississippi Department of Corrections
Greg Hamilton
CIVICTEC
Sheriff of Travis County, Austin, TX (ret.)
Justice Eileen C. Moore
Army Nurse Corps, United States Army
Hon. Leon Panetta
U.S. Department of Defense
Former White House Chief of Staff
Former U.S. Congressman (CA)
Vincent W.
Patton III, EdD
8th Master Chief Petty Officer of the
U.S. Coast Guard (ret.)
Major General
Angela Salinas
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
United States Marine Corps (ret.)
Dr. Ronald Self, PhD
Veterans Healing Veterans
from the Inside Out
Former U.S. Marine
Dr. Jo Sornborger, PsyD
Operation Mend, UCLA Health
Front-End Advisory Committee Members
Model Policy Framework Committee Members
Transition Advisory Committee Members
Corrections and Reentry Advisory Committee Members
9th Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Army (ret.)
Commission Advisers
Ryan Else – Criminal Defense Attorney
Brock Hunter – Criminal Defense Attorney
Brigadier General David MacEwen – U.S. Army (ret.)
Robin Olsen – Principal Policy Associate, Justice Policy Center
Barbara Pierce – Director of Justice Initiatives, Crime and Justice Institute
Evan Seamone (in memoriam) – U.S. Army (ret.); Fellow, National Institute of Military Justice
Wesley Smith – Researcher, Texas Department of Corrections
Press Releases
About the Art
The banner design was created by an adult in custody designer in the Oregon Corrections Enterprises (OCE) Graphic Design program. The mission of OCE, in partnership with the Oregon Department of Corrections, is to promote public safety by providing adults in custody with work and training opportunities in a self-sustaining organization.
Supporters
Support for the Veterans Justice Commission comes from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, The Just Trust, LinkedIn, the National Football League, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, T. Denny Sanford, Southern Company Foundation, and the Wilf Family Foundations as well as the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, #StartSmall, and other CCJ general operating contributors.
