With more than 200,000 veterans incarcerated, a significant need exists for the development of technologies that help veterans with felony histories return to employment. This study evaluated the effect of three methods of vocational assistance on competitive employment over a 6 mo follow-up period: (1) basic vocational services, (2) self-study using a vocational manual designed for formerly incarcerated veterans, and (3) a group led by vocational staff using the vocational manual. We evaluated 111 veterans for time to obtain and total time of competitive employment. The group format was expected to be superior to the self-study and the self-study superior to basic services. Findings indicated that the group format was associated with quicker employment and more total employment than the basic and self-study conditions. Limitations and directions for future refinement are discussed.

With the high number of incarcerated veterans with mental illness and substance dependence returning to the community annually, a significant need exists for technologies that will help them return to employment. This study evaluates three methods of assistance: (1) basic vocational services, (2) self-study of a vocational manual designed for formerly incarcerated veterans, and (3) a group led by vocational staff using the vocational manual. We evaluated 69 veterans to determine the number finding employment within 3 months after enrollment in the study. The group format was expected to be superior to self-study, and self-study was expected to be superior to basic services. Though the group format was found to be superior to both self-study and basic services, the results for self-study and basic services were statistically similar. Limitations and directions for future refinement are discussed.

Both justice-involved individuals and veterans are at elevated risk for suicide. Despite this, research examining the intersection between justice involvement and veteran status has been limited. In addition, factors which drive risk for suicidal self-directed violence (i.e. suicide attempt, suicide) among justice-involved veterans remain understudied. This paper serves as a brief overview of extant literature regarding potential psychosocial factors which may drive suicide risk in this population. Additionally, the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide is applied to posit specific factors underlying justice-involved veterans' risk for suicidal self-directed violence. Finally, given the limited suicide-focused research specific to justice-involved veterans, we propose specific directions that are needed for subsequent research. In particular, further examination of a conceptual model of suicide risk in this population, as well as methods for intervening on identified risk factors, remain necessary to effectively prevent suicide in this understudied population of veterans.