A Quantitative Exploration of the Health, Treatment, and Reentry Needs on Aging Veterans in Prison, ARCH Network Pilot Award (in progress)
Dr. Jennifer Bronson and Dr. Andrea Finlay
Aging veterans in prison are overlooked in research, despite evidence that incarcerated veterans are more likely to be older than nonveterans in prison and that older people in prison are more likely to have chronic health conditions than their younger counterparts. The purpose of this study is to better understand the health status and treatment needs of aging veterans (age 50 and older) in state prison as compared to aging nonveterans and younger veterans to understand their treatment and reentry needs. The study analyzed data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI) to accomplish its aims. Preliminary results have been presented on webinars for Veterans Affairs HELPS-Homeless Elders Programs and Services Quarterly Forum, the Veterans Health Administration’s Veterans Justice Programs National Training Call, and the Aging Research in Criminal Justice Network.