Legal Legitimacy in Veterans Treatment Courts: Exploring Demographic, Social, and Service-related Correlates

• In Event: Exploring the Veterans Treatment Court Experience: Collateral Consequences, Treatment Satisfaction, Procedural Justice, and Legitimacy

Abstract

Veterans treatment courts (VTCs) are a new and rapidly expanding approach to working with veterans engaged in the criminal justice system (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2016). Although modeled on older problem solving courts, VTCs remain under-researched. Attempts to empirically test fit of established theories of compliance in this novel setting are particularly lacking.  Perception of legal legitimacy is known to be associated with legal compliance (Eisner & Nivette, 2013; Nagin & Telep, 2017). Yet, little is known about the factors that shape legitimacy among veterans. In contrast, research has explored correlates of criminal behavior among veterans (Brooke & Gau, 2015; Elbogen et al., 2012; Fontana & Rosenheck, 2005), drawing attention to a mix of military, clinical and social factors.  The present study surveyed 188 participants in two VTCs in early 2016. The cross-sectional study regressed perceptions of legal legitimacy on demographic variables, recidivism risk, combat history, probable PTSD, veteran identity, civilian reintegration and perceived homecoming to begin exploring how the construct functions in the VTC context. Implications for VTC practice and future research are discussed.

Author

• John M Gallagher, University of Arkansas