The Prevalence of Current and Former Military Personnel
in North Carolina Jails
September 2013 projections indicate there are
currently 769,000 United States military veterans
residing within the borders of North Carolina.
Approximately three-fourths of these individuals
are considered wartime veterans — in other words,
they actively served during a period of conflict.
Almost 162,000 veterans are under the age of 44,
with roughly 95 percent ( 1 54,000) of this group being
classified as wartime veterans (U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs, 2013).
Throughout the nation, literature hints at a growing
prevalence of United States active and former
military coming into contact with the criminal justice
system. Many researchers claim military veterans
are at an increased risk for involvement with the
criminal justice system; though the presence of these
brave men and women is oftentimes unrecognized
by authorities who come into contact with them.
Furthermore, studies have examined the emotional
toll placed on soldiers during combat, with lingering
effects on both physical and mental health, and its
linkage to an increased risk of incarceration for this
group. (Sayer, Rettmann, Carlson, Bernardy, Sigford,
Hamblen, & Friedman, 2009; Elbogen, Johnson,
Newton, Straits-Troster, Vasterling, Wagner, &
Beckham, 2012).
Untreated mental health and substance abuse
issues among veterans
Literature illustrates the impact of war on the mental
health of United States military veterans. Although
always a problem, it was not prominently measured
until recently. Tanielian, Jaycox, Marshall, Schell,
and Burnam (2008) estimate that due to the Iraq
and Afghanistan wars, over 300,000 veterans, or
about 1 8 percent of those returning home, have been
affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
or major depression. Of even greater concern, it has
North Carolina is home to a number of major military
bases and Coast Guard stations.
been estimated that less than half of the veterans
experiencing PTSD report it or seek treatment
(White, Mu Ivey, Fox, & Choate, 2011). Furthermore,
it has been shown that PTSD can have a delayed
impact in over one-third of cases, foreshadowing an
even greater impact of the disorder (Tanielian et al.,
2008). Reports from the Veterans Affairs Office of
Public Health and Environmental Hazards indicate
that 48 percent of veterans seeking Veterans Affairs
(VA) treatment between fiscal years 2002 and 2009
received a possible diagnosis of a mental disorder
(McMichael, 2011).
A similar study by Saxon, Davis, Sloan, McKnight,
McFall, and Kivlahan (2001) claims that PTSD is
linked to incarceration, substance abuse, violent
behaviors and even homelessness. Others have shown
that the single greatest indication that a veteran will
be incarcerated is substance abuse (Jacobson, Ryan,
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
