Copy of VetJusPro Outreach (Test)

In Flanders Fields


In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,   

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,       

In Flanders Fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow       

In Flanders Fields.


Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

Additional Resource Guides & Packets

There are a number of veteran resource guides that provide services and resources which address all issues from transitional services and resources to end-of-life preparation. Listed here are numerous guides to assist veterans with information, questions, and suggestions. Do you have a question or suggestion? Reach out here.

  • Using The Forgotten Veterans Resource Guide

     USING THE FORGOTTEN VETERANS RESOURCE GUIDE


    Scanning QR Codes:

    Most cell phones can access the website by scanning the provided QR code by opening your camera and holding the phone over the code. For older phones, you might need to download a QR Code Reader App from Play Store. Most are free but be careful which one you choose. Many have advertising which can be a pain. If scanning the QR code is not working, visit the website, https://www.vetjuspro.com/ and click on Veterans Resource Guide. Each section in this resource guide is duplicated on the website page and accompanied by a downloadable and printable pdf link.


    Keeping Notes:

    It cannot be stressed enough the importance of following up with the services and resources provided to ensure a successful exit from the transition program. You’ll notice there are numerous places for which to write down notes after most sections. I suggest writing down those people that are instrumental in your transition. Get phone numbers whenever possible.

    Do not rely only on your phone to record your contacts and documents.


    Securing Documentation and Important Information:

    For those veterans in shelters or on the street who would like to have their documents scanned into a file and the originals secured, reach out to me and I will hold the originals with me here and then provide hard copies as well as email copies of your file in a pdf. For those who are filing claims, be sure to keep your research and follow-up information handy for reference when interacting with Veterans Affairs.


    Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst:

    If you don’t have a New York State ID, Social Security card, EBT enrollment, DD214, and VA enrollment, it only makes sense these will be required to obtain housing. Make it a job of obtaining these documents before anything else. The process is frustrating as it is, so having all your documentation before starting the process will make it that much quicker.


    Be Mindful of Dates:

    Most all documents you will encounter have some sort of renewal date to maintain participation in any of the housing programs. Veterans on disability or receiving a pension are required to update their VA award letter every 90 days. Current mental health information will need to be submitted for supportive housing.

     

    Ask Questions, Get Involved:

    Do not make the mistake of putting all the pressure on the case worker. They are there to assist with the housing process but take control of your success by keeping engaged with the case workers and housing counselors. Ask how you can help. Ask about different programs and ensure both eligibility and enrollment are complete. Do not depend on the case worker to follow up with housing. It’s not their job.


    Using the Resource Guide (printable)



  • The Forgotten Veterans Resource Guide

    The Forgotten Veterans Resource Guide includes all topics necessary for transitioning from homeless to sustainable housing with contact information and resources for veterans experiencing homelessness.

    Veterans Resource Guide _ October 2023

    Veterans Resource Guide _ September 2023


    USING THE RESOURCE GUIDE

    Scanning QR Codes:

    Most cell phones can access the website by scanning the provided QR code by opening your camera and holding the phone over the code. For older phones, you might need to download a QR Code Reader App from Play Store. Most are free but be careful which one you choose. Many have advertising which can be a pain. If scanning the QR code is not working, visit the website, https://www.vetjuspro.com/ and click on Veterans Resource Guide. Each section in this resource guide is duplicated on the website page and accompanied by a downloadable and printable pdf link.


    Keeping Notes:

    It cannot be stressed enough the importance of following up with the services and resources provided to ensure a successful exit from the transition program. You’ll notice there are numerous places for which to write down notes after most sections. I suggest writing down those people that are instrumental in your transition. Get phone numbers whenever possible.

    Do not rely only on your phone to record your contacts and documents.


    Securing Documentation and Important Information:

    For those veterans in shelters or on the street who would like to have their documents scanned into a file and the originals secured, reach out to me and I will hold the originals with me here and then provide hard copies as well as email copies of your file in a pdf. For those who are filing claims, be sure to keep your research and follow-up information handy for reference when interacting with Veterans Affairs.


    Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst:

    If you don’t have a New York State ID, Social Security card, EBT enrollment, DD214, and VA enrollment, it only makes sense these will be required to obtain housing. Make it a job of obtaining these documents before anything else. The process is frustrating as it is, so having all your documentation before starting the process will make it that much quicker.


    Be Mindful of Dates:

    Most all documents you will encounter have some sort of renewal date to maintain participation in any of the housing programs. Veterans on disability or receiving a pension are required to update their VA award letter every 90 days. Current mental health information will need to be submitted for supportive housing. 


    Ask Questions, Get Involved:

    Do not make the mistake of putting all the pressure on the case worker. They are there to assist with the housing process but take control of your success by keeping engaged with the case workers and housing counselors. Ask how you can help. Ask about different programs and ensure both eligibility and enrollment are complete. Do not depend on the case worker to follow up with housing. It’s not their job.




  • Department of Veterans Services Guides

    NYC Department of Veterans' Services'

    Take a closer look at the NYC DVS programs, initiatives, and offerings by downloading our Veteran Resource Guide.



  • Veterans Resource Guides (National)

    Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program

    The purpose of this Program Guide is to provide an overview of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. This Program Guide has force for oversight, auditing, monitoring and program review purposes, and is to be used by applicants to the SSVF Program, SSVF grantees, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff members, and other interested third parties involved in the SSVF Program. The Program Guide provides the following information:

    1. Program Overview

    2. Renewal Process

    3. Technical Assistance

    4. Participant Eligibility

    5. Supportive Services

    6. Program Operations

    7. Fiscal Administration

    8. Training and Evaluation

    9. Reporting Requirements

    10. Program Resources


    The National Resource Directory (NRD) is a resource website that connects wounded warriors, Service Members, Veterans, their families, and caregivers to programs and services that support them. The NRD is hosted, managed, maintained, sustained and developed by the Defense Health Agency's Recovery Coordination Program.


    The American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide. Two of the authors of this book were among the authors of a 1985 national bestseller, The Viet Vet Survival Guide. The earlier book was published on paper, in the traditional manner. This book is an e-book, published on the Web site of its sponsor, Veterans for America (VFA). 



  • Veterans Resource Guides (Tri-State)

    Albany County Veterans Resource Guide

    American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary Department of NY

    112 State St. Suite 1310

    Albany, NY

    1-800-421-6348



  • Veterans Resource Guides (NYC)

    NYC Department of Veterans' Services'

    Take a closer look at the NYC DVS programs, initiatives, and offerings by downloading our Veteran Resource Guide.


    CUNY VA Care Resource Guide

    Veterans and their Families, Caregivers and Survivors have many resources available to answer their questions on services related to the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, and the care, benefits and services available from the Department of Veterans Affairs, other agencies and non-profit organizations.


    Congressman Hakeem Jeffries Veterans Resource Guide

    My office is dedicated to ensuring veterans are equipped with the information and resources they need to receive the healthcare and benefits they deserve. This section of the website contains multiple resources for veterans and their families, including a veterans resource guide.


    Veterans Assistance Project Veteran's Legal Resource Guide

    The City Bar Justice Center's Veterans Assistance Project has released the New York City Veteran's Legal Resource Guide (pdf), a 46-page reference designed for both veterans and veterans' service providers. The guide lists organizations that provide free legal assistance to low-income veterans, and is organized into categories and presented in the order of the most frequently requested areas of assistance, including Housing, Homelessness, Public Benefits and Debt/Consumer matters.


    New York City College of Technology (City Tech) Military & Veteran Resource Guide

    This guide is to assist you, our student veterans, active duty personnel, reservists, guardsmen, family and friends, as you begin your transition into our campus community. 


    Jefferson Community College Veterans Resource Guide

    In recognition of the issues that face our brave men and women as they return to civilian life, Jefferson Community College, in collaboration with Catholic Charities and various community service organizations, has produced this resource guide for veterans.



Thank you very much for responding to this request for resource information!


The Forgotten Veteran Resource Guide is a referral program designed to provide Veterans and Service Providers direct access to those programs and organizations dedicated to providing transitional services to veterans experiencing homelessness. One of those challenges is the ability to connect with the best suited person to assist the veteran in their transition including housing while providing a direct contact to someone familiar with the unique challenges facing veterans experiencing homelessness. 


The information you provide will help to create a 'cheat sheet' of sorts so that those of us who have direct contact with veterans also have an equal direct contact with other veteran - oriented providers. The objective is to have a complete downloadable resource guide that is user - friendly for both provider and veteran. Please also take a moment to review any contact information that may already provided and make any changes. In addition to the information provided on the website, a printed version with scannable QR codes (approx. 50 pgs.) is available in binder form for providers. A smaller - sized condensed version with individual sections is available for veterans.


Thank you again,

Tim Pena

Veteran Service Provider's Questionnaire

Veterans Outreach

Timothy Pena initially traveled to NYC at the invitation of RIP Medical Debt founder and Navy veteran, Jerry Ashton to collaborate for his project, Veterans Mission Possible. Soon after arriving, Tim was also introduced by Mr. Ashton to reknown filmmaker Patrick de Warren, who is producing a series of short films addressing  veteran suicide awareness and prevention.


After struggling with suicide ideation for years and needing a change, Tim soon realized that he would rather be homeless in NYC than commit suicide in Phoenix and could help other veterans struggling with suicide by providing his experience with suicide awareness and prevention to  provide hope to his fellow brothers and sisters that they are not alone.


But, for this documentary to work, he would need to do more than just tell his story, he would need to actively participate in the journey of going from ‘homeless to homeness’ which he is documenting with a series of short articles called, “Be the Story”.

You've chosen a terrific way of integrating images and text into your website. Move the image anywhere you want in this container and the text will automatically wrap around it. You can display events team members new products and more easily and creatively. To start add an image from the Image Picker and edit it as you would edit any image in the system. For example you can link the image to existing pages in your site a website URL a popup or an anchor. After you've chosen the image add your text. You can add text that describes the image you've selected or simply use the image for decorative purposes. \nYou've chosen a terrific way of integrating images and text into your website. Move the image anywhere you want in this container and the text will automatically wrap around it. You can display events team members new products more easily and creatively. To start add an image from the Image Picker and edit it as you would edit any image in the system. For example you can link the image to existing pages in your site a website URL a popup or an anchor. After you've chosen the image add your text. You can add text that describes the image you've selected or simply use the image for decorative purposes.

The Stewart Foundation

Veteran Outreach begins and often ends on the street which is where anyone in Phoenix can Gregory Stewart. Greg has been panhandling on the same corner of 7th St. and McDowell for several years. Like many veterans, his need to serve others outweighs his own, so he collects donations of money, food, and clothing for distribution to the homeless in Central Phoenix. Greg is in the beginning stages of founding his own non-profit, The Stewart Foundation.

Bridge the Gap

In 2021 Tim Pena founded Veterans Justice Advocates (VJA) as a non-profit outreach mechanism to specifically ‘Bridge the Gap’ between the incarcerated veteran and the VA with a Do-It-Yourself process for requesting documentation, filing claims, and applying for transitional services mailed directly to the incarcerated veteran. 

The Forgotten Veteran

It has been four months since arriving to NYC and I have a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful for my friends and family in Arizona who knew I was struggling and not getting any better. I am thankful this day for Air Force veteran and founder of RIP Medical Debt, Jerry Ashton. I am thankful for this day, in this city, and with newfound friends. But I am most thankful for the return of something that Arizona took away from me years ago and New York gave me back and that is my right to vote.

Military Veterans in Journalism

I’ve never thought of myself as a journalist; certainly not in the realm as we see correspondents and reporters on our television screens and in our newspapers everyday-but being in such supportive company made me realize that a formal background in journalism isn’t as important as having the real-world experience that veterans bring to the discussion in any newsroom. I was struck by the number of veterans who simply like to write, as I do, about our experiences in the military and how those experiences apply to everyday reporting.

  • Military Veterans in Journalism

    Military Veterans in Journalism

    I’ve never thought of myself as a journalist; certainly not in the realm as we see correspondents and reporters on our television screens and in our newspapers everyday-but being in such supportive company made me realize that a formal background in journalism isn’t as important as having the real-world experience that veterans bring to the discussion in any newsroom.

  • Reclaiming My Voting Rights

    Reclaiming My Voting Rights

    These are the same people who used up all our water, polluted our air, and decimated our beautiful Southern Border. I’m sure that Maricopa County Superior Court COMMISSIONER Annilelaurie Van Wie would have liked nothing more than take a few shots at me as I groveled for my voting rights back. The same woman that, as a prosecutor was sued for discrimination of a black woman in such a show of cruelty, it boggles the mind how she is anywhere near a court of law.

  • Closed Library Hampering Transition

    Closed Library Hampering Transition

    In the few months I have been here I have had numerous instances when a veteran was not properly prepared for a situation that may have led to employment. In August, when the city was hiring cleaning crews for the subway, we were unable to get online with my laptop and hotspot, and the library wasn’t open. The veteran was unable to submit the online application and the time window closed.

  • Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E)

    Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E)

    I normally wouldn’t be eligible for the GI Bill if it weren’t for VA Disability which allows me to return to school under Chapter 35. I was floating in and out of the UofA and Pima College in Tucson, but was struggling back then and took out a student loan for $5,200 thinking it would motivate me into getting that piece of paper.

  • Borden Ave Veterans' Residence

    Borden Ave Veterans' Residence

    It wasn’t until I woke up that second morning in a hotel in Chinatown that I realized how happy I was when I lived in Chicago during the 90’s. Had I not needed my birth certificate and social security card, I wouldn’t have needed to return to Arizona at all.

  • Jericho Project and Voucher Search

    Jericho Project and Voucher Search

    Even though I am staying at a shelter, they are kind enough to allow me to use their address to obtain my new New York ID card, register as a New York Democrat (45 yrs as AZ GOP’er), and even get a library card. I am also newly enrolled in the Manhattan VA and starting to receive the medical and mental health treatment I’ve been denied in Arizona.

  • First Days in New York City

    First Days in New York City

    The men’s shelter is an eight-story former school with classrooms serving as offices and 2–5-man rooms. There are laundry facilities, hot meals, showers, and comfy beds. Essentially, it is a steppingstone intake for the hundreds of temporary residents who will be referred to other short-term housing and supportive programs.

Veterans, PTSD, and the Judicial System

In an article on veteran and criminality, Matthew Wolfe writes, “Posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury have been called the wars' signature injuries. In 2008 the RAND Corporation surveyed a group of veterans six months after their return. It found that almost one in five had either PTSD or major depression. In recent years rates of substance abuse and suicide among veterans have also ticked steadily upward.


A certain number of veterans suffering from mental-health issues will, invariably, end up in jail or prison. After Vietnam, the number of inmates with prior military service rose steadily until reaching a peak in 1985, when more than one in five was a veteran. By 1988, more than half of all Vietnam veterans diagnosed with PTSD reported that they had been arrested; more than one third reported they had been arrested multiple times.


“The combination of unemployment, substance abuse, mental-health issues, and a shortage of adequate counseling creates”, Dr. Judith Broder, the founder and director of the Soldiers Project, a nonprofit organization based in North Hollywood, California said, “a ‘perfect storm’ for sending vets into the criminal-justice system.”


Until properly addressed, these issues with regard to veterans do not fix themselves. Treatment for mental health and drug and alcohol abuse; housing placement; employment assistance and other issues must be addressed.

Contact Us

Veterans Justice Project, LLC

Joining Forces to Address Suicide Prevention

Timothy Pena was approached in early 2022 by Let's Rethink This founder Jerry Ashton to join his team as part of a Veterans Affairs $20 Million Challenge named Mission Daybreak to reduce Veteran suicide. Tim has joined with Mr. Ashton in composing a model for Veteran Suicide Prevention based on a program that includes a heavy emphasis on outreach to veterans experiencing homelessness as a starting point to identify at-risk veterans and help them avoid possible justice involvement.

  • Let's Rethink This

    We are a team of Co-Creators who have come together to search out individuals, organizations and causes which have not gotten the attention their good works – impactful works – deserve and need.


    This is based on the real-world experience of Jerry Ashton, LRT’s founder, when he and a partner in 2014 created the respected charity RIP Medical Debt. RIP struggled unsuccessfully to get traction until featured by John Oliver of Last Week Tonight when he used LRT’s services to publicly abolish almost $15 million in Texas medical debt.


    We at LRT are bringing that same energy to capture “lightning in a bottle” by engaging with others willing to rethink the world’s problems and provide Impact Solutions.


    Visit Let's Rethink This

  • End Medical Debt

    America’s $1 Trillion Medical Debt Crisis


    Medical debt belongs at the center of every conversation about our broken healthcare system. Everyone knows someone who struggles to pay their medical bills. Millions of responsible Americans confront $1 trillion in medical debt that produces hardships for individuals, families, communities, and our nation as a whole.


    Visit End Medical Debt website

  • Mission Daybreak

    What do you do when you exhaust your tools and approaches to what has become an intractable problem, and find yourself at an impasse?


    If you are the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs, which has tried for years to substantially lower the incidence of vet suicides (currently averaging 18 per day), you go bold.


    That “bold” constitutes in this case a challenge to the general public, and particularly the veteran advocacy community, to come up with ideas, approaches or inventions that will actually and materially change those statistics for the better — Mission Daybreak.

Contact Us

  • Veteran Suicides: Its Reality and Its Stigma

    The trailer for a documentary on #SuicidePrevention to be released soon by 

    @AmericanVertigo and @RethinkLets

    Patrick de Warren


    Veteran Suicides - Its Reality and Its Stigma


    Working on an Awareness Campaign on the subject as 22 to 35 veterans a day commit suicides.


    Watch the short film by Patrick de Warren.

  • Homeless to Homeness

    As part of my participating in the filming of a documentary on vulnerable veterans with Let’s Rethink This founder Jerry Ashton and acclaimed documentarist and filmmaker Patrick de Warren I arrived in NYC in late July from Phoenix, AZ. For this documentary to work I actually participated in the process of going ‘homeless’ (which I was) and registered with the New York City Dept of Homeless Services located on 30th St. in Manhattan – just seven blocks from the Manhattan Harbor VA. 


    Homeless to Homeness

  • The Forgotten Veteran

    'The Forgotten Veteran' includes direct response to veterans with questions on VA claims, transitional resources, as well as issues for the recently arrested veteran, instructional issues for completing VA forms and documentation.


    The Forgotten Veteran establishes the connection with the veteran where the VA might not be. Please take a moment to fill out the form with veterans to add to the mailing list, suggestions for articles, and Letters from Prison, that addresses questions and comments from incarcerated veterans.


    The Forgotten Veteran

  • Veterans Justice Advocates

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.


    Veterans Justice Advocates prison outreach

  • Veterans Incarceration/Suicide Index

    In an effort to determine an incarcerated suicide index for veterans per state, I averaged the percentages of veteran population, incarceration, and suicide to create an index. This in an effort to determine the effect of Veterans Treatment Courts on the psychological well-being of the veteran facing criminal charges In 2014, Veterans accounted for 18% of all deaths by suicide among U.S. adults and constituted 6.6% of the U.S. adult population (ages 18+).


    Veterans Incarceration/Suicide Index

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (2019), the suicide rate among veterans is 1.5 times higher than the non-veteran population ages 18+, with over 6,000 veterans dying by suicide each year. Despite accounting for just 7.9% of the population, veterans account for 13.5% of all suicide deaths in the country.

There are nearly 160,000 veterans in jails and prisons across this country. Thousands more are too ashamed or too embarrassed or too disgusted to admit they served this country. Others had heard the stories of judges and prosecutors sentencing veterans to harsher sentencing with comments such as, "You should know better" and "Being a veteran is not a 'get out of jail free' card," as was told to me and countless other veterans who were all sentenced to prison instead of provided treatment for service-connected disabilities such a combat wounds from shrapnel, PTSD, and TBI. More than half of veterans in American prisons have a service-connected injury. 

List of Services

Veterans Justice Project Founder Timothy Pena

Since relocating to New York, Timothy Pena has encountered many challenges from vacating apartment of five years in Phoenix to obtaining a Voter Registration Card to now in isolation with Covid_19. Tim initially travelled to NYC to participate in the filming of a documentary on vulnerable veterans with Let’s Rethink This founder Jerry Ashton and acclaimed documentarist and filmmaker Patrick de Warren.


As much as for his own mental health as for a fresh start, Timothy decided to put his skills he learned from the veteran's transitional program he clerked for in Phoenix to the test and document his journey from 'Homeless to Homeness' as is described in more detail below. Also is a prelude to 'The Forgotten Veteran,' a pamphlet-style newsletter designed to 'Bridge the Gap' between the incarcerated veteran and the VA, its agencies, and affiliates.

Watch the Trailer for Veteran Suicide

"No Veteran shall be denied the Ability to file a VA Claim for Disability based solely on Military Discharge or Custody Level. Every Veteran is Entitled to Tell their Story."

Every Veteran that signs up for The Forgotten Veteran newsletter will receive an the newly incarcerated guide specifically tailored for the veteran by direct snail mail.

  • New Veterans Incarceration Guide

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

  • VA Disability Guide

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

  • Issue #1 Introduction

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

  • Issue #2 Veterans Treatment Courts

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

  • Issue #3 Play Ball

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

  • Issue #4 Mental Health

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

  • Issue #5 Badass Women Veterans

    Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.

• On any given day, approximately 730,000 people are being held in America’s jails

• 67% or 487,000 of those are yet to be sentenced or awaiting trial

• 6,712,600 Americans are either incarcerated or on community supervision

• As many Americans, or 70 million, have criminal records as do college degrees

• Americans with criminal records outnumber the entire population in 1900

• By age 23, an estimated 1 in 3 Americans will be arrested

According to Lawyers.com, getting arrested is an often stressful ordeal triggering a series of events that are part of criminal prosecution. Read on for information about the immediate aftermath of an arrest. After arrest usually come several steps, including going into custody, being booked, and appearing in court. Below is some information for the veteran when they are arrested by Attorney Micah Schwartzbach

  • Step 1: Citation or Jail

    An encounter typically meets the legal definition of “arrest” when the police place the suspect in custody for some period of time, however short. In many cases, the arresting officer then transports the suspect to the police station.


    In most states, though, officers do have the option of arresting, citing, and releasing someone they’ve arrested for a misdemeanor. In that situation, the suspect is free to leave but is under an order to appear in court at a later date.


    Step 1: Citation or Jail

  • Step 2: Booking Process

    In the typical arrest scenario, where the police have taken the suspect to the station, booking comes next. Police personnel enter into their system information related to the arrest and the arrestee. 


    They usually photograph and fingerprint the suspect. In many states, personnel must also collect a DNA sample from the suspect—at least where the arrest is for a serious offense, like a felony. (The sample usually comes from a swab of the inner cheek; the DNA sample then goes into a database.) The suspect often gets a chance to use the phone after booking.


    Step 2: Booking Process

  • Step 3: Bail Out or Remain in Custody

    Bail is normally set according to a bail schedule, which lists out crimes and their corresponding sums. Judges typically have the power to later raise or lower this bail amount by reviewing factors related to a person's flight risk and risk to public safety.


    Some suspects are able to post bail shortly after going into custody—people in this situation, like cited-and-released arrestees, get a subsequent court date. If the alleged crime is so serious that there’s no bail, or if bail is too high to meet, the suspect stays in custody (often the county jail). The suspect remains there at least until the first court appearance.


    Step 3: Bail Out or Remain in Custody

  • Step 4: Complaint and First Appearance

    Most police arrests occur without warrants, meaning that the prosecution first gets involved after the arrest. In this typical situation, the prosecutor reviews the police report and any other available information in deciding whether to file criminal charges through what’s normally called a “complaint.” Once the prosecution files that complaint, the arrestee goes from suspect to defendant.


    In many states, the first appearance is called the “arraignment.” For defendants who have bailed out of or were otherwise released from jail, the first appearance is normally at least several days after the arrest. For defendants who are still in custody, this appearance must happen much earlier—typically within a couple of days.


    At the first court appearance, the magistrate (the official acting as the judge) often has to do a number of things, such as:

    • informing the defendant of the charges
    • notifying the defendant of the right to counsel and beginning the process of appointing a public defender (if the defendant wants but cannot afford an attorney), and
    • addressing the defendant’s custody status.

    Depending on the rules, a magistrate might leave the bail amount as it currently sits, increase or decrease it, or release the defendant without bail. (Getting out of jail without bail is normally called released on one’s “own recognizance.”) The magistrate may also impose bail conditions.


    Step 4: Complaint and First Appearance

  • Next Steps

    Where a criminal case goes from here depends on the seriousness of the charge, the facts of the case, and the rules of the jurisdiction. One way or another, though, the court procedure must allow for a magistrate’s determination as to whether there’s probable cause to believe that the defendant committed the charged crime. (Without such a determination, the case normally cannot continue.) Also, the defendant will have to enter a plea at some point, the first plea entered often being “not guilty.”


    For information about your situation, including your options, talk to a criminal defense lawyer. The rules and procedures depend on the jurisdiction your case is in—your state might have different or additional steps than what’s listed above. You’ll want to talk to an attorney familiar with cases like yours in your court system.


    Next Steps

MAINE DIVISION OF VETERANS SERVICESState House Station #117
Augusta, Maine 04333(207) 626-4464(207) 626-4471VIEW WEBSITE


MAINE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION LRISP.O. Box 788
Augusta, Maine 04332(207) 622-1460VIEW WEBSITE


NLSO NC BRANCH OFFICE BRUNSWICK500 Sewall Street, Building 150, Box 1
Brunswick, Maine 04011(207) 921-2355VIEW WEBSITEPINE TREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE39 Green Street
Augusta, Maine 04330(207) 623-7777VIEW WEBSITEPINE TREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, INC. - AUGUSTA AREA OFFICE39 Green Street
Augusta, Maine 04330(207) 622-4731VIEW WEBSITEPINE TREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, INC. - BANGOR AREA OFFICE115 Main Street
Bangor, Maine 04401(207) 942-8241VIEW WEBSITEPINE TREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, INC. - LEWISTON OFFICE37 Park Street
Lewiston, Maine 04240(207) 784-1558VIEW WEBSITEPINE TREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, INC. - MACHIAS AREA OFFICE13 Cooper Street
Machias, Maine 04654(207) 255-8656VIEW WEBSITEPINE TREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, INC. - MAIN88 Federal Street
Portland, Maine 04101(207) 774-8211VIEW WEBSITEPINE TREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, INC. - PORTLAND AREA OFFICE88 Federal Street
Portland, Maine 04101(207)774-8211VIEW WEBSITE

Pagination


Many Veterans don’t show any signs of an urge to harm themselves before doing so. But some may show signs of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, or hopelessness, like:

  • Seeming sad, depressed, anxious, or agitated most of the time
  • Sleeping either all the time or not much at all
  • Not caring about what they look like or what happens to them
  • Pulling away from friends, family, and society
  • Losing interest in hobbies, work, school, or other things they used to care about
  • Expressing feelings of excessive guilt or shame, failure, lack of purpose in life, or being trapped


Veterans Justice Project, LLC is a limited-liability company established in December 2020 with the Arizona Corporation Commission by Timothy Pena as the sole owner. Tim came onto the idea while serving a two-year prison sentence for a first offense marijuana possession conviction and Agg DUI from 2014. He served a total of 18 months, first at Yuma/La Paz where he helped launch the first Veterans support group; and then at Tucson/Whetstone Veteran’s Regaining Honor program.


While incarcerated, Tim realized that other veterans were not receiving the access to Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) with simple VA forms, information and advocacy that other non-criminal veterans receive, even though these veterans have greater needs. The main goal of VJP is provide incarcerated veterans with access to necessary VA forms, assistance with claims, and transition services and resources. To date, VJP has assisted approximately 20 veterans with various services ranging from filling out and filing 1040 tax returns to assisting with MST claims.


As of May 2021, VJP will initiate an outreach program for veterans experiencing homelessness with resources and necessities for those living on the street and in camps. Nearly half of all incarcerated veterans have experienced homelessness prior to arrest, with many of them dependent on VA services including mental health and medical care. The outreach program will focus on establishing contact with at-risk veterans to address specific needs before arrest and incarceration. Arizona prisons maintain of the highest percentage of veterans in the country. This is exasperated by the total lack of any Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) for pre-adjudicated felonies.

Veterans Treatment Courts


According to national organization, Justice for Vets, VTC’s have gained national prominence as the most innovative solution for veterans caught up in the criminal justice system due to substance use and/or mental health disorders and trauma. VTC’s connect these men and women to the benefits and treatment they have earned; saving their lives, families, and futures, and saving tax dollars for the American public.


There are now an estimated 400 VTC’s nationwide with a substantial number accepting veterans with felony charges. This is especially poignant in states such as Arizona that charge defendants with felonies with what would be a misdemeanor in other states.


Even though VTC’s overall average about a 65-85% successful graduation rate with recidivism rates in the teens, the public and judicial sentiment still considers that veterans receiving treatment over incarceration as being a “free ride” for criminal behavior. While our judicial system has gotten more punitive with allegations of misconduct along all aspects of the judicial process from police to prisons, the VA and the VJO continue to refuse pre-trial services to the justice-involved veteran to assure a fair judicial process with misdemeanors being the ‘haves’ and felonies being the ‘have nots’.

Filling the Void


A veteran charged with a misdemeanor in most counties of Arizona have access to Veterans Treatment Court and all the services that come with the program to include employment, housing, mental health and other services with the Court working side-by-side with the Veterans Justice Outreach including pre-trial services not afforded to the veteran with felony charges and a void that Veterans Justice Project aims to fill. While the Phoenix VJO does visit veterans in the Maricopa County Jail, its presence is mostly symbolical and an opportunity to pass out pencils and journals. It is only when the veteran is in Veterans Treatment Court does the VJO engage with the veteran with resources and services that would otherwise benefit all criminally charged veterans.


Veterans Justice Project seeks to utilize outreach and word-of-mouth to engage veterans and devise housing options for jailed veterans, financial stability, employment and educational opportunities and monitoring to ensure adherence to Court directives while their case moves through the judicial process. By establishing relationships with various civilian and veteran organizations, it is VJP’s intent to comprise a non-governmental profile to present to the Court on the veteran’s behalf. It is hoped with time, that the Courts and prosecutors might refer to these profiles as a tool for deciding pre-trial release, adjudication of criminal charges and sentencing.

Community Support


Many veterans today who are transitioning from military to civilian life have access to numerous organizations and services to aide in that transition. This creates a sense of community that has otherwise eluded older veterans who have suffered service-connected disorders sometimes for decades. These same veterans are then denied any relief by the judicial system because of extensive criminal behavior, even though the criminality is small non-violent, non-dangerous in nature and treatment options are more appropriate. Courts are apprehensive in affording older veterans any treatment options because of lack of resources and unfair characterizations by prosecutors.


Older veterans comprise an estimated 31% or 56,000 of the more than 181,000 veterans currently in America’s jails and prisons. According to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), Drug Courts save as much as $27 for every $1 invested when considering only direct and measurable offsets such as reduced re-arrests, law enforcement contacts, court hearings, and the use of jail or prison beds.


Seeking Partners


Veterans Justice Project is seeking partners to assist in supporting outreach and transitional services to incarcerated veterans including housing options, judicial support, employment services and other VA programs that directly impact those that served you. Please reach out to Timothy Pena for more information. If you know a veteran that needs assistance, please fill out the questionnaire at, https://www.vetjuspro.com/case.

A veteran charged with a misdemeanor in most counties of Arizona have access to Veterans Treatment Court and all the services that come with the program to include employment, housing, mental health and other services with the Court working side-by-side with the Veterans Justice Outreach including pre-trial services not afforded to the veteran with felony charges and a void that Veterans Justice Project aims to fill. While the Phoenix VJO does visit veterans in the Maricopa County Jail, its presence is mostly symbolical and an opportunity to pass out pencils and journals. It is only when the veteran is in Veterans Treatment Court does the VJO engage with the veteran with resources and services that would otherwise benefit all criminally charged veterans.

JUSTICE-INVOLVED  VETERANS


In 2018, Timothy Pena was sentenced to two years in prison for a first-offense marijuana possesion conviction. Upon imprisonment, Tim soon realized that he and other veterans were not receiving that access to Veterans Affairs with simple VA forms, information and advocacy that other non-criminal veterans receive, even though these veterans have greater needs.


The mission of The Forgotten Veteran is to 'Bridge the Gap' between the incarcerated veteran and the VA with access to necessary forms, assistance with claims, and transition services and resources while providing solutions for the prevention of veteran homelessness and suicide.


Nearly half of all imprisoned veterans have a history of homelessness and a quarter suffer service-connected PTSD.


Veterans Justice Project seeks to utilize outreach and word-of-mouth to engage veterans and devise housing options for jailed veterans, financial stability, employment and educational opportunities and monitoring to ensure adherence to Court directives while their case moves through the judicial process. By establishing relationships with various civilian and veteran organizations, it is VJP’s intent to comprise a non-governmental profile to present to the Court on the veteran’s behalf. It is hoped with time, that the Courts and prosecutors might refer to these profiles as a tool for deciding pre-trial release, adjudication of criminal charges and sentencing



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