NCJ Number
79232
Journal
Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin Dated: (February 1981) Pages: complete issue
Date Published
1981
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This bulletin presents data from the Survey of Inmates of State Correctional Facilities and its companion Census of State Correctional Facilities conducted in November 1979.
Abstract
The survey consisted of personal interviews with a stratified random sample of 12,000 prisoners in State facilities across the country, while the census was conducted through mail questionnaires for all facilities operated by State departments of corrections. Results of these two data sources reveal that in November 1979, about a fourth of all State prisoners were veterans of military service. Among the total of 65,500 veterans in such prisons, 19,500 served in the pre-Vietnam era and 39,500 served in the Vietnam era (August 1964-July 1975). However, only 13,000 of the 39,500 had been on duty in Southeast Asia. In addition, 6,000 served in the post-Vietnam era, with 1,200 of these serving time for a crime committed while in the service. Veterans in State prisons in November 1979 were as well educated as veterans in the general population, but they were much more likely to have received a less-than-honorable discharge. Typically, they had been convicted of a violent crime and were serving a lengthy sentence. The bulletin pays special attention to data on Vietnam-era veterans and compares them to all veterans on several characteristics. In addition, the bulletin compares incarcerated veterans with the general incarcerated population on such factors as education, prearrest income, crimes, sentences, and criminal careers. Two graphs are included.