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Schedule:
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Marquis BR 6, ML 2 (Marriott Marquis Washington DC)
* noted as presenting author
Background and Purpose:
Veterans represent 8–10% of the incarcerated population nationwide, and in Los Angeles County, where they make up just 2.6% of the general population, they comprise 5–7% of the jail population. Many are denied military benefits and services due to "other-than-honorable" discharges, often stemming from untreated PTSD or substance use disorders. Existing research has largely neglected the lived experiences of these justice-involved veterans (JIVs), especially in county jails, focusing instead on individual pathology over systemic barriers. This study makes a unique contribution to the field by exploring how JIVs experience incarceration, perceive their discharge status, and navigate exclusion from services that are ostensibly designed for them.
Methods: This phenomenological study draws on 15–20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with JIVs incarcerated in Los Angeles County Jail. These personal narratives provide a unique insight into the experiences of these veterans. Purposive and snowball sampling methods ensure demographic and experiential diversity, particularly regarding discharge status, race/ethnicity, and military branch. Participants provide narratives that explore their military service, post-service transition, criminal justice involvement, and access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) resources. Thematic analysis is conducted using Braun and Clarke's six-step method and NVivo software. Analytic rigor is maintained through reflexive journaling, peer debriefing, member checking, and thick description.
Findings: Emerging themes include (1) Institutional Betrayal, as veterans describe feeling abandoned by the military and VA systems after service-related misconduct; (2) Structural Exclusion, particularly among those with "other-than-honorable" discharges who are categorically denied VA healthcare or housing; and (3) Double-Edged Identity, with veterans reporting both pride in service and deep mistrust toward systems meant to support them.
Conclusion and Implications: This study provides qualitative evidence that JIVs experience a complex interplay of trauma, policy exclusion, and identity conflict. It underscores the urgent need for trauma-informed, equity-focused policy reforms that expand VA access and Veterans Treatment Court eligibility. The findings are particularly relevant for social workers, legal practitioners, and policymakers committed to rethinking veteran reentry pathways and dismantling carceral policies that further marginalize those who served. By amplifying the voices of incarcerated veterans, this research offers a compelling case for designing reintegration systems rooted in dignity, access, and justice.
Veterans represent 8–10% of the incarcerated population nationwide, and in Los Angeles County, where they make up just 2.6% of the general population, they comprise 5–7% of the jail population. Many are denied military benefits and services due to "other-than-honorable" discharges, often stemming from untreated PTSD or substance use disorders. Existing research has largely neglected the lived experiences of these justice-involved veterans (JIVs), especially in county jails, focusing instead on individual pathology over systemic barriers. This study makes a unique contribution to the field by exploring how JIVs experience incarceration, perceive their discharge status, and navigate exclusion from services that are ostensibly designed for them.
Methods: This phenomenological study draws on 15–20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with JIVs incarcerated in Los Angeles County Jail. These personal narratives provide a unique insight into the experiences of these veterans. Purposive and snowball sampling methods ensure demographic and experiential diversity, particularly regarding discharge status, race/ethnicity, and military branch. Participants provide narratives that explore their military service, post-service transition, criminal justice involvement, and access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) resources. Thematic analysis is conducted using Braun and Clarke's six-step method and NVivo software. Analytic rigor is maintained through reflexive journaling, peer debriefing, member checking, and thick description.
Findings: Emerging themes include (1) Institutional Betrayal, as veterans describe feeling abandoned by the military and VA systems after service-related misconduct; (2) Structural Exclusion, particularly among those with "other-than-honorable" discharges who are categorically denied VA healthcare or housing; and (3) Double-Edged Identity, with veterans reporting both pride in service and deep mistrust toward systems meant to support them.
Conclusion and Implications: This study provides qualitative evidence that JIVs experience a complex interplay of trauma, policy exclusion, and identity conflict. It underscores the urgent need for trauma-informed, equity-focused policy reforms that expand VA access and Veterans Treatment Court eligibility. The findings are particularly relevant for social workers, legal practitioners, and policymakers committed to rethinking veteran reentry pathways and dismantling carceral policies that further marginalize those who served. By amplifying the voices of incarcerated veterans, this research offers a compelling case for designing reintegration systems rooted in dignity, access, and justice.