Characteristics of Men Offenders who Self-Reported Veteran Status

Abstract: The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has a partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to support veterans involved with the federal correctional system. Previous research indicates that veterans are older than non-veterans and have unique needs with respect to personal/emotional issues and antisocial attitudes, with a third having a history of sexual offending. This study was undertaken to update our knowledge of the characteristics of federal veteran offenders. What we did Offenders assessed by the CSC’s Computerized Mental Health Intake Screening System (CoMHISS) between August 2014 and March 2018 were included in this study. Men offenders who self-reported former service in the Canadian Forces were identified as veterans (N = 374) while all other men offenders were categorized as nonveterans (N = 14,471). Additional information from CSC’s Offender Management System (OMS) was extracted.