Veteran Identity in Veterans Treatment Courts: An Exploration of Military, Demographic and Legal Correlates

Veterans treatment courts (VTCs) are a new and expanding intervention that strives to reduce incarceration and recidivism among justice-involved veterans. Although modeled on drug and mental health courts (Russell, 2009), they differ in many ways. Importantly for the present study, attempts are made to connect participants with a positive social role: their identity as veterans. Qualitative research has begun exploring how military identity affects perceptions of VTCs (Ahlin & Douds, 2016; Baldwin & Rukus, 2015; Clifford, Fischer, & Pelletier, 2014). There is a largely unarticulated assumption that increased identification as a veteran will enhance pro-social attitudes and behaviors. This would be consistent with psychological and criminological theories (Bottoms, 2002; McNeil & Robinson; 2013; Sherman, 1992; Tyler & Huo, 2002) used in problem solving courts and other applied criminal justice contexts. VTCs and their participants are diverse; research is in its early stages; and no study has quantitatively explored veteran identity. The present study utilizes an exploratory approach to identify how military, demographic and legal factors are associated with veteran identity in two VTCs.

The cross-sectional survey was administered in two VTCs in 2016 with approximately 80% of eligible participants participating (N=191). The sample was diverse on many demographic, military, socioeconomic, and legal factors and resembled local and national VTC populations on many (but not all) measures. Measures of social identity (Cameron, 2004), probable PTSD (Prins et al., 2003), military homecoming (Vogt et al., 2013), and civilian reintegration difficulties (Sayer et al., 2011) were administered as were items regarding era of service, combat exposure, demographics, age at first arrest, total number of lifetime arrests, and housing status.  Hierarchical linear regression was utilized with blocks focusing on, in order: military characteristics, demographic and housing variables and arrest history.

The measure of veteran identity demonstrated solid internal consistency (α=.88) and participants reported relatively high levels on the 1-5 response scale (M=4.07, SD=.63).  Solid internal consistency and mid-range mean values were observed on the homecoming (α=.90, M=3.54, SD=.81) and the reintegration (α=.92, M=2.97, SD=.95) instruments. All models in the hierarchical regression were significant and there was a significant ΔF at each step.  Each model will be in the presentation; here, the final model is summarized (F(13, 153)=7.63, p<.001, Adj. R²=.34). Variables that were significantly associated with veteran identity are listed with their standardized betas: probable PTSD (.20), homecoming (.58), Hispanic (.17), stable housing (-.14), and lifetime arrests (-.18).

This study begins exploring how a defining social identity operates in an emerging intervention consistent with the Smart Decarceration initiative. As VTCs attempt to leverage veteran identity to enhance engagement and outcomes, this study highlights a complex mix of military, clinical, demographic, socioeconomic and criminogenic variables that may be involved.  As research on veteran identity is emerging in healthcare and social service settings (DiLeone et al., 2016; Harada et al., 2002; Locatelli, et al., 2014; Matthias, et al., 2016), it may stimulate research in those areas as well. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of the study’s limitations and implications for future research.