Thank you for being attention to this
But also recognize that 28% of veterans are currently unemployed
And between 17% - 18% of veterans are considered homeless.
DEMOGRAPHICS OF HOMELESS VETERANS
• 11% of the homeless adult population are veterans
• 20% of the male homeless population are veterans
• 68% reside in principal cities
• 32% reside in suburban/rural areas
• 51% of individual homeless veterans have disabilities
• 50% have serious mental illness
• 70% have substance abuse problems
• 57% are white males, compared to 38% of non-veterans
• 50% are age 51 or older, compared to 19% non-veterans
INCARCERATED VETERANS
In May 2007, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a special report on incarcerated veterans. The following are highlights of the report, “Veterans in State and Federal Prison, 2004,” which assessed data based on personal interviews conducted in 2004:
Numbers and profiles:
• There were an estimated 140,000 veterans held in state and federal prisons. State prisons held 127,500 of these veterans, and federal prisons held 12,500.
• Male veterans were half as likely as other men to be held in prison (630 prisoners per 100,000 veterans, compared to 1,390 prisoners per 100,000 non-veteran U.S. residents). This gap had been increasing since the 1980s.
• Veterans in both state and federal prison were almost exclusively male (99 percent).
• The median age (45) of veterans in state prison was 12 years older than that of non-veterans (33). Non-veteran inmates (55%) were nearly four times more likely than veterans (14%) to be under the age of 35.
• Veterans were much better educated than other prisoners. Nearly all veterans in state prison (91%) reported at least a high school diploma or GED, while an estimated 40% of non-veterans lacked either.
Military backgrounds:
• The U.S. Army accounted for 46% of veterans living in the United States yet 56% of veterans in state prison.
• In 2004, the percentage of state prisoners who reported prior military service in the U.S. Armed Forces (10%) was half of the level reported in 1986 (20%).
• Most state prison veterans (54%) reported service during a wartime era, while 20% saw combat duty. In federal prison two-thirds of veterans had served during wartime, and one quarter had seen combat.
• Six in 10 incarcerated veterans received an honorable discharge.
Mental health:
• Veteran status was unrelated to inmate reports of mental health problems.
• Combat service was not related to prevalence of recent mental health problems. Just over half of both combat and non-combat veterans reported any history of mental health problems.
• Veterans were less likely than non-veteran prisoners to have used drugs. Forty-two percent of veterans used drugs in the month before their offense compared to 58% of non-veterans.
• No relationship between veteran status and alcohol dependence or abuse was found.
Convictions and sentencing:
• Veterans had shorter criminal histories than non-veterans in state prison.
• Veterans reported longer average sentences than non-veterans, regardless of offense type.
• Over half of veterans (57%) were serving time for violent offenses, compared to 47% of non-veterans.
• Nearly one in four veterans in state prison were *** offenders, compared to one in 10 non-veterans.
• Veterans were more likely than other violent offenders in state prison to have victimized females and minors.
• More than a third of veterans in state prison had maximum sentences of at least 20 years, life or death.
Such a GDAMN shame to disrespect one who pledged their life to protect YOUR Right to protest by kneeling for the National Anthem because someone who has no effen clue was ****-hurt because their feelings were hurt.
