By C1 Staff
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ark. — Sheriff Gerald Robinson is looking to honor incarcerated veterans in his own way, but helping to end homelessness among veterans.
He runs the Jefferson County Detention Facility, and has joined the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program, which is a targeted prevention component of the Five Year Plan to End Homelessness Among Veterans, according to THV11. It’s an outreach initiative designed to provide legally involved veterans with linkages to VA and community resources addressing clinical needs and fostering stability.
“Our veterans-inmates face unique challenges and disabilities due to their service for the country. We owe it to them to develop programs that are going to assist with the transition from military service to civilian life,” said Sheriff Robinson.
Robinson also gave replica U.S. flags to inmate veterans in his facility to commemorate their service. The flags were displayed on the outside of the inmate pods/housing areas.
“We’re challenged by distinct populations of veterans: the older incarcerated veterans, who require a specialized level of care that they don’t get years ago, and the veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan whose health-and-welfare needs are unique from those of their predecessors. I vow to continue to offer my full support to programs such as the VJO Program and to help seek more state and federal funding in pursuit of VJO Programs efforts,” stated Sheriff Robinson.