Incarceration, along with homelessness, is a by-product of substance abuse or can be caused by anger issues stemming from Combat Trauma/PTSD.  HOPE4PTSDVETS.ORG recognizes that many of our  veterans caught within the legal system have been wounded by combat trauma and we are committed to providing that same hope and holistic help behind bars or as a jail diversion program.  We are also working with counties to help establish Veterans Courts so these unique circumstances and needs can be addressed and met.

From an article posted on Change.org:

There's a high rate of substance abuse among veterans, and another connection between substance abuse and prison, unfortunately this connection is all too strong thanks to our war on drugs. We need alternative solutions to avoid locking up the men and women who serve our country.

The causes that contribute to our high rate of veteran incarceration are similar to those that have left so many veterans homeless.

As Mark Horvath writes eloquently on the End Homelessness blog today:

These are men and women who were willing to wear the uniform, willing to put themselves in harm's way. It must be tough to come to the realization that their country - the people and ideals that they fought for - are not half as eager to heal their pain, to have their backs. Seems there is just too much hurt and not enough money.

The statistics in the DPA report make it clear that something is missing in our veteran services. More than 40 percent of veterans in federal prison (and 15 percent of those in state prisons) are there for drug violations. More than 60 percent of veterans in prison can be classified as having a substance abuse problem. A quarter of veterans in prison were intoxicated at the time of their arrest.

There are obvious and immediate gaps to address. One of the most prominent is that most veterans don't qualify for substance abuse treatment benefits through the VA unless they have PTSD. Substance abuse treatment should be available to all veterans, without barriers, hurdles or paperwork. It's much better to treat an addiction than to lock someone up or put them in prison.

I wrote recently about veterans' courts being used in New York, Illinois and Nevada. These courts can treat veterans with the respect and attention they deserve, helping defendants navigate the complicated bureaucracy between the VA, police, court, treatment and prison. The initiative has drawn some fire from veterans and civil liberties advocates, saying these courts can unfairly single out veterans. I think they're an appropriate response, and any time our courts can specialize and slow down the conveyor belt, we're doing defendants a service.

http://news.change.org/stories/with-140-000-veterans-in-prison-we-can-do-better

Homelessness is a major issue facing Veterans returning home.  The statistics below are tragic.  Veterans with combat trauma are even more likely to end up chronically homeless than veterans without combat trauma.  One of the strategies of HOPE4PTSDVETS.ORG is to network with homeless shelters, the Veterans Administration and other Veterans Organizations to provide these men and women with some tools to help find and maintain personal and professional stability.

• Between 529,000 and 840,000 veterans are homeless at some time during the year.²
• On any given night, more than 300,000 veterans are living on the streets or in shelters in the U.S.
• Approx. 33% of homeless males in the U.S. are veterans.²
• Veterans are twice as likely as other Americans to become chronically homeless.²
• Veterans represent 11% of the adult civilian population, but 26% of the homeless population, according to the Homeless Research Institute (2007).
• Veterans are more at risk of becoming homeless than non-veterans
• The number of homeless Vietnam-era veterans, male and female, is greater than the number of soldiers who died during the war.¹
• Primary causes of homelessness among veterans are:

1. Lack of income due to limited education and lack of transferable skills from military to civilian life (especially true of younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan)
2. Combat-related physical health issues and disabilities
3. Combat-related mental health issues and disabilities
4. Substance abuse problems that interfere with job retention
5. Weak social networks due to problems adjusting to civilian life
6. Lack of services.

 Source:  http://www.veteransinc.org/about-us/statistics/#homelessness

¹ U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
² National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
³ National Alliance to End Homelessness