NCJ Number
16309
Date Published
1974
Length
20 pages
Annotation
A REVIEW OF VETERANS ADMINISTRATION (VA) POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN COUNSELING VETERANS IN PRISON AND ON PAROLE REGARDING THEIR RIGHTS TO VETERANS BENEFITS.
Abstract
THE AUTHORS FOUND THAT VA HAS NO UNIFORM SYSTEM TO BE FOLLOWED BY ITS REGIONAL OFFICES FOR REACHING VETERANS IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE VA BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO THEM. THE TWO VA REGIONAL OFFICES THAT WERE VISITED HAD ADOPTED A POLICY OF VISITING PENAL INSTITUTIONS ONLY UPON SPECIFIC REQUEST BY PRISON OFFICIALS. THE AUTHORS FOUND THAT VA REPRESENTATIVES HAD MADE BUT ONE VISIT TO ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR INSTITUTIONS INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW. THE AUTHORS' DISCUSSIONS WITH A SELECTED NUMBER OF INCARCERATED AND RECENTLY PAROLED VETERANS SHOWED THAT MANY OF THEM WERE NOT AWARE THAT THEY WERE STILL ENTITLED TO VA BENEFITS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)