Criminal

The Veterans Justice System

On any given day, approximately 730,000 people are being held in America’s jails. Approximately 160,000 men and women who have served this country are currently serving a jail or prison sentence. While many police departments have a veteran's community liaison, veterans are at higher risk of homelessness and arrest.

Veterans with mental health issues are at risk of public 'PTSD moments' that can easily result in arrest for violent offenses, and in some instances, suicide by cop.


Veterans advocates credit the lower incarceration rate partly to increased services for returning veterans. For example, many states now have "veterans courts," where veterans can get treatment for PTSD and drug abuse in lieu of jail time for certain crimes. Nevertheless, veterans are sentenced to 20% harsher sentencing than non-veterans.


Professionals theorize that might be due to many judges and prosecuting attorneys lack of experience either in the military or with the Veteran, and hold a certain ‘grudge’ against veterans for receiving what might be misconstrued as a ‘free ride’ for service to their country. 

The Nation's first treatment court specifically developed for veterans was started on January 4, 2008, in Buffalo, New York, by Judge Robert Russell. On September 1, 2009, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) made an award under its Drug Court Program to the newly established Buffalo Veterans Drug Treatment Court. With the success of this court and many more following, in 2013, the Department of Justice began receiving a separate appropriation for veterans treatment courts (VTCs). In 2020, Congress passed the Veterans Treatment Court Coordination Act of 2019 directing the Attorney General to establish and carry out the Veterans Treatment Court Grant Program, which is managed by BJA.

Veteran sentences tend to be longer: 

  • 60% of the 181,000 incarcerated veterans are for non-violent charges 
  • 16% were serving life sentences compared to 14% of non-veterans 
  • 35% of veterans compared to 23% of non-veterans were incarcerated for a violent sexual offense 
  • A total 64% of veterans compared to 48% of non-veterans were imprisoned for all violent offenses 
  • Only 14% of veterans compared to 23% non-veterans are incarcerated for drug offenses
  • 600,000 veterans cannot vote because of felony conviction 
  • $56.9 Billion state’s expenditures on corrections for 2015
  • 43% of veterans and 55% of non-veterans in prison had four or more prior arrests, and 
  • 17% were serving sentences of four years or less compared to non-veterans at 21%

Veterans Legal and Judicial Resources / Veterans Justice Outreach


The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program is a preventionfocused component of VA’s Homeless Programs Office (HPO), whose mission is to end homelessness among Veterans. Since the program was founded in 2009, VJO Specialists at every VA medical center have provided outreach to justice-involved Veterans in various settings, including jails and courts. As of November 2020, VJO Specialists report serving in 601 Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) and other Veteran-focused court programs across the U.S. The number of these courts has grown significantly since June 2016, when VJO Specialists reported serving in 461 courts. 

  • Legal Resources and Information / Civil

    New York State Unified Court System

    Many veterans return to civilian life and find themselves facing personal challenges, including mental health problems or substance use, that are unique to life after military service. Criminal behavior, mental health problems and substance abuse often stem directly from service in combat zones and may be amplified by reentry into civilian life. There are numerous organizations and agencies that cater to veterans struggling with legal issues whether civil or criminal.

     

    City Bar Justice

    Veterans Assistance Project

    Phone: (212) 382-4722 or request on-line.

    --Veterans Benefit issues


    Legal Services NYC

    Phone: (917) 661-4500 Hotline

    Call Monday-Friday, 10 am – 4 pm. 

    --Brooklyn Campus: Legal Clinic – 1st Tuesday of every Month

    16th floor PRRTP, 8 am to 12 noon.

    --LSNYC also assists veterans in a range of civil legal matters including housing, family law, child support, Social Security, VA benefits, healthcare proxy, wills, power of attorney, immigration, employment law. Locations:

    BRONX

    349 East 149th St. 10th Floor

    Bronx, NY 10451

    Phone: 718-928-3700

    BROOKLYN

    105 Court Street, 3rd Floor

    Brooklyn, NY 11201

    Phone: 718-237-5500

    MANHATTAN

    1 West 125th Street, 2nd Floor

    New York, NY 10027

    Phone: 646-442-3100

    QUEENS

    89-00 Sutphin Blvd.

    Jamaica, NY 11435

    Phone: 347-592-2200

    STATEN ISLAND

    36 Richmond Terrace, Ste. 205

    Staten Island, NY 10301

    Phone: 718-233-6480


    Veteran Advocacy Project

    Phone: (646) 602-5620

    40 Rector Street, 9th floor, NY, NY

    Email: contact@veteranadvocacy.org

    --Discharge upgrades, evictions, and more


    Hofstra Veterans Law Clinic

    --Provides free representation to low-income Veterans seeking to appeal a denial of VA disability compensation benefits and to Veterans seeking a discharge upgrade. Phone screening

    Phone: (516) 463-5934 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday, or email Email: LawClinic@Hofstra.edu

     

    New York City Small Claims Court

    Anyone 18 years of age or over can sue in Small Claims Court. If you are younger than 18, your parent or guardian may sue on your behalf. Only an individual can sue in Small Claims Court. Corporations, partnerships, associations, or assignees cannot sue in Small Claims Court. However, they can be sued in Small Claims Court.

  • Legal and Judicial Resources / Housing

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  • Legal Resources and Information / Criminal

    Legal Services & Information


    Veterans Justice Outreach Program

    The mission of the Veterans Justice Programs is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach, in order to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.


    New York State Unified Court System

    Many veterans return to civilian life and find themselves facing personal challenges, including mental health problems or substance use, that are unique to life after military service. Criminal behavior, mental health problems and substance abuse often stem directly from service in combat zones and may be amplified by reentry into civilian life.

  • Legal and Judicial Resources / Veterans Justice Outreach

    Veterans Justice Outreach Program

    The mission of the Veterans Justice Programs is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach, in order to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.



  • Legal and Judicial Resources / Veterans Treatment Courts

    Veterans Justice Outreach Program

    The mission of the Veterans Justice Programs is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach, in order to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.

    New York Harbor Healthcare System

    423 E. 23rd St.

    New York, NY 10010

    Contact: Siobhan Dannacker, LCSW

    Phone: (212) 807-4449

    Email: Siobhan.Dannacker@va.gov

    New York Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinators

    Albany, Albany VA Medical Center: Samuel S. Stratton, Alyssa Gibbons

    Bath, Bath VA Medical Center, Stacie Contreras

    Bronx, James J. Peters VA Medical Center (Bronx, NY), Eddie Marcano

    Buffalo, VA Western New York Healthcare System at Buffalo, John Lahood, Carolyn Fagnan

    Canandaigua, Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Shirley McGee

    Montrose, VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, Karetha Henry

    New York, Manhattan Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, Siobhan Dannacker, Jeff Rabinovici, Kimberly Shaw

    Northport, Northport VA Medical Center, Eric Bruno, Tiffany Grant-Zellem

    Syracuse, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Janice James, Wendy Varricchio-Fletcher


    New York State Unified Court System / Resources

    The New York State Unified Court System recognizes that veterans sometimes enter the criminal justice system under circumstances that may arise from their prior military service.  Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts leverage tools best calculated to make a meaningful difference for court involved veterans with substance abuse or mental health issues.  Veterans Treatment Courts can help leverage the resources available to defendant veterans to help them reintegrate as successful and productive civilians. This directory is intended to help veterans that may struggle with issues such as substance abuse, mental health issues, homelessness and thoughts of suicide.  It is also intended to aid judges and courts in identifying resources available to veterans who may appear in proceedings before them.  In addition to listing statewide and regional resources, this directory invites court managers to adapt it to include their own local resources where veterans and their families can access referrals specific to their needs. We encourage courts to share their local resources with the Unified Court System, Office of Policy and Planning so we can disseminate updated resource guides in the future.



  • Naturalization Resources and Information

    The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program

    Did you know Veterans with Honorable or General discharges qualify for expedited naturalization? 

     provides FREE legal aid through the "Veterans Naturalization Assistance Program."

    2101 L Street NW, Suite 225

    Washington, DC 20037

    @vetsprobono 



  • Veterans Treatment Courts

    Veterans Treatment Court Locations


    Veteran Mentor’s Handbook

    A handbook for veteran mentors volunteering in a veterans treatment court. The handbook offers practical guidance about the roles and responsibilities of being a mentor in veterans treatment court.


    Veterans Treatment Courts

    Veterans Treatment Courts in New York State are designed to address the needs of servicemen and women struggling with the psychological and emotional aftershock of their service. These men and women, whose involvement with the criminal justice system is often caused by underlying, service related, substance abuse and mental health issues, present a unique challenge to the courts. The New York State Unified Court System has responded to this challenge with the creation of Veterans Treatment Courts. The goal of these courts is to address the


    New York State Unified Court System

    Many veterans return to civilian life and find themselves facing personal challenges, including mental health problems or substance use, that are unique to life after military service. Criminal behavior, mental health problems and substance abuse often stem directly from service in combat zones and may be amplified by reentry into civilian life.


  • Veterans Justice Outreach

    Veterans Justice Outreach Program

    The mission of the Veterans Justice Programs is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach, in order to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.



  • Civil Courts Resources and Information / New York

    New York State Unified Court System

    Many veterans return to civilian life and find themselves facing personal challenges, including mental health problems or substance use, that are unique to life after military service. Criminal behavior, mental health problems and substance abuse often stem directly from service in combat zones and may be amplified by reentry into civilian life.


    There are numerous organizations and agencies that cater to veterans struggling with legal issues whether civil or criminal.

     

    City Bar Justice

    Veterans Assistance Project

    Phone: (212) 382-4722 or request on-line.

    --Veterans Benefit issues


    Legal Services NYC

    Phone: (917) 661-4500 Hotline

    Call Monday-Friday, 10 am – 4 pm. 

    --Brooklyn Campus: Legal Clinic – 1st Tuesday of every Month

    16th floor PRRTP, 8 am to 12 noon.

    --LSNYC also assists veterans in a range of civil legal matters including housing, family law, child support, Social Security, VA benefits, healthcare proxy, wills, power of attorney, immigration, employment law. Locations:

    BRONX

    349 East 149th St. 10th Floor

    Bronx, NY 10451

    Phone: 718-928-3700

    BROOKLYN

    105 Court Street, 3rd Floor

    Brooklyn, NY 11201

    Phone: 718-237-5500

    MANHATTAN

    1 West 125th Street, 2nd Floor

    New York, NY 10027

    Phone: 646-442-3100

    QUEENS

    89-00 Sutphin Blvd.

    Jamaica, NY 11435

    Phone: 347-592-2200

    STATEN ISLAND

    36 Richmond Terrace, Ste. 205

    Staten Island, NY 10301

    Phone: 718-233-6480


    Veteran Advocacy Project

    Phone: (646) 602-5620

    40 Rector Street, 9th floor, NY, NY

    Email: contact@veteranadvocacy.org

    --Discharge upgrades, evictions, and more


    Volunteers of Legal Service

    www.volsprobono.org - Last Wills and Testaments, Health Care Proxies, Powers of Attorney & other advance directives using volunteer attorneys. To make a referral, either have the veterans fill out the intake form, call:

    Contact: Pete Kempner

    Phone: 347-521-5504, or give the veteran this number for a phone screening.


    Hofstra Veterans Law Clinic

    --Provides free representation to low-income Veterans seeking to appeal a denial of VA disability compensation benefits and to Veterans seeking a discharge upgrade. Phone screening

    Phone: (516) 463-5934 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday, or email Email: LawClinic@Hofstra.edu

     

    New York City Small Claims Court

    Anyone 18 years of age or over can sue in Small Claims Court. If you are younger than 18, your parent or guardian may sue on your behalf. Only an individual can sue in Small Claims Court. Corporations, partnerships, associations, or assignees cannot sue in Small Claims Court. However, they can be sued in Small Claims Court.

  • Criminal Court Resources and Information / New York

    Legal Services & Information


    Veterans Affairs Office of General Counsel

    The mission of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) is to identify and meet the legal needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Its primary objective is to ensure the just and faithful execution of the laws, regulations and policies that the Secretary has responsibility for administering, and by so doing enable the Department to accomplish its mission of service to our Nation's veterans. 

    Acting General Counsel: Richard J. Hipolit 

    The General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs issues written legal opinions having precedential effect in adjudications and appeals involving veterans' benefits under laws administered by VA.

     

    The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program

    2101 L Street NW, Suite 225

    Washington, DC 20037

    P: (888) 838-7727 (toll free)

    P: (202) 628-8164

    The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program is a leading national 501(c)(3) charity that has offered free legal representation to veterans, their families and survivors at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) since 1992.


    Legal Services Corporation (LSC)

    3333 K Street, NW

    Washington, DC 20007

    T: 202-295-1500

    For more than 45 years, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and its grantees, along with other legal aid programs, have been providing this help. It is the mission of LSC’s Veterans Task Force to further access to justice for veterans by:

    • Raising awareness of the legal issues faced by veterans;

    • Identifying ways to strengthen the relationships between legal aid providers and other veteran-serving organizations;

    • Highlighting model programs that provide effective, integrated services to veterans; and

    Recommending strategies for engaging attorneys to provide legal assistance on a pro bono basis, including for complex legal issues.

  • Naturalization Resources and Information

    The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program

    Did you know Veterans with Honorable or General discharges qualify for expedited naturalization? 

     provides FREE legal aid through the "Veterans Naturalization Assistance Program."

    2101 L Street NW, Suite 225

    Washington, DC 20037

    @vetsprobono 



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