Removing VA Barriers to Housing and Treatment for Military Veterans With Sexual Offenses
Below is a link to a just released study on housing and treatment for military veterans with sexual offenses.
Across U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) surveys conducted since 1998, male U.S. military veterans are incarcerated for sexual offenses at nearly twice the rate of civilians. However, postincarceration, these veterans face daunting obstacles to securing such services, including exclusion from housing programs, and lack of mental health services to treat sexual deviancy disorders. The VA system from top to bottom should “reset” policies to enhance public safety and the veteran’s successful community integration.
The worst part is those vets who were overseas and now need va treatments for cancers from burn pits… if they have any sexual offenses, thats it for them.
I don’t understand. Did the VA deny cancer treatment to a registrant?
yes
Nina
Then to me, that would 100% qualify as a punitive measure. Not being able to access proper medical care because of a past conviction is an atrocity, as well as punishment. Denial of medical services for someone who served, or anyone for that matter is supposed to be part of your basic rights.
I am officially listing that as a hate crime, because we are hated and having more and more rights taken away.
And as we have seen in past comments from Veterans on this site, some are now being banned from even going on base to shop at the PX with their spouses.
Now discrimination of another sort
This problem is only going to be exacerbated as the UCMJ continues to go rogue on the military population in the way it is administered against military members by those in Congress who control Article 120 and other areas of the UCMJ.
Unless it is a capital case, there does not need to be a unanimous panel (not jury) verdict against the defendant. This needs to stop at all levels of the UCMJ process. Many recognize that fact and believe the time has come to change it so the 3/4 required today can grow up to be equivalent to the rest of the US legal system (not justice because that is subjective). At the same time, it is time for the various levels of UCMJ action need to be fixed at the same size panel membership, e.g. 12. I will spare you the history lesson here of how it all came to be at this time, but it has been a long walk with much growth, but there is more to do.
The legal environment within the DoD and USCG (who are also under UCMJ jurisdiction) is rife with Congressional oversight that sways what is needed to happen in their minds and what should happen by what the country is based on (that is another discussion for another time). False and baseless accusations can be had with a stroke of a pen or a keyboard leading to a drama no one should have to endure (I know this from personal experience). However, when politics gets involved and some defense attys don’t care in the end because there are other clients to be had from UCMJ charges, good military members get paraded to be shamed despite their honorable service.
If you get a hold of the legal dockets at those military installations w/in FLA, you may be surprised at the ramrodding that happens. Promotions are given because of prosecutions with convictions and rank has its privileges (I won’t go into the ranks of which corp gets dealt with in what manner as that is a topic for another time).
So, the VA may have to deal with the outcome from the DOD, but the DOD is the one who sets this all in motion for them and should reconsider what they are doing initially…but they won’t.
Off my soapbox now…
Peace