Homelessness and Contact with the Criminal Legal System among U.S. Combat Veterans: An Exploration of Potential Mediating Factors

Abstract

A notable proportion of criminal legal system (CLS)-involved combat veterans have a history of homelessness. However, knowledge regarding the relationship between homelessness and CLS involvement among combat veterans is largely based on descriptive studies, and potential mechanisms linking homelessness to CLS involvement are largely unknown. Using data from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study ( n = 1,353), this study examined the association between homelessness and contact with CLS among U.S. combat veterans and evaluated the mediating roles of shared risk factors. Findings revealed that a large proportion (53.6%) of the association between homelessness and CLS involvement was accounted for by indirect associations, most notably via drug use disorder (22.1%), moral injury (11.4%), and alcohol use disorder (10.7%). These findings highlight modifiable mechanisms that may link homelessness to CLS involvement, which may help inform targeted prevention efforts to mitigate the risk for CLS involvement among combat veterans.