U.S. military veterans need more effective support in the civilian justice system. The Council on Criminal Justice’s (CCJ) Veterans Justice Commission’s first set of recommendations identify ways to support veterans at the “front end” of the justice system, covering everything from arrest through sentencing. CCJ’s work found that the system often failed to identify veterans or provide them access to diversion programs and support services.

Recommendations include improving identification of veteran status and coordination to help support their needs and steer them away from incarceration. The early stages of the criminal justice process are critical, as they provide a key opportunity to identify the challenges facing veterans and to connect them to services and benefits tailored to help them address those challenges.