Beyond the Uniform: Analyzing Variations in Incarcerated Veteran Populations by Service Background and Experience

• In Event: Carceral Surveillance and Population Monitoring: Tools, Tensions, and Impacts

Abstract

While service members are often portrayed as different from their non-service counterparts, few distinctions are made regarding this population as a whole. Although exceptions such as serving in the all-volunteer force and combat exposure exist, veteran-centered services and programs tend to take a more universal approach. However, these uniform approaches may not be ideal when considering criminal offending and involvement in the justice system. Utilizing data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics' Survey of Prison Inmates, United States, 2016 (2024), this study examines incarcerated service members in state correctional facilities to determine whether the unique experiences, such as participation in specific conflicts or theatres of operation, associated with military service are related to offense type. Preliminary results indicate that incarcerated veterans differ from non-veterans; however, veterans do not appear to differ among themselves regarding conflict and branch. This is in contrast to the argument that veterans are a heterogeneous group. When specific experiences are included, there do appear to be some differences.

Authors

• Quinn Gordon, University of North Alabama

• Jessica Corey, New Mexico State University

• Allison Escobedo, The University of Texas at Dallas