Estimating the lifetime prevalence of incarceration in the U.S. Veteran population

Abstract: This brief report estimates the lifetime prevalence of incarceration among U.S. military veterans using data from three nationally representative U.S. samples: the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS; n = 4069), the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III; n = 3119 veterans, and the National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences (NV-HOPE; n = 1004). Across the three surveys, 3.5–10.6% (weighted mean = 9.8%) of U.S. veterans reported they had been incarcerated some time in their lives for an average of 16.7 to 45.6 months (weighted mean = 42.4). Among black veterans, the lifetime prevalence of incarceration ranged from 2.9 to 10.6% (weighted mean = 13.4%) and among white veterans, the lifetime prevalence of incarceration ranged from 3.5 to 14.6% (weighted mean = 9.7%). These contemporary estimates of incarceration among U.S. veterans highlight racial disparities and the extent of incarceration in this population, which may influence access to employment, housing, and healthcare.

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