Veteran Dockets

Oklahoma has a significant number of veterans relative to its overall population. The 2010 Census identifies 12.5% of the state’s population as veterans compared with 9.9% nationally.  Additionally, the state is home to two Army bases, three Air Force bases, and one Coast Guard Institute. More than 47,000 active service members now reside in Oklahoma.  In the past 10 years, Oklahoma service members have experienced unprecedented numbers of deployments and redeployments.  The state now sees the effects of these redeployments in substance abuse treatment needs, criminal justice involvement, and increasing suicide rates.
• The rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is 2.5 times higher for those whom are deployed two or more times versus one.
• 81% of justice-involved veterans had a substance abuse issue prior to incarceration.
• Calls from Oklahoma veterans to the Veterans Crisis Line (affiliated with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) grew from 318 in 2007 to more than 1,680 in 2010.
• In Oklahoma, from 2004-2007, 23% (466) of all suicide victims were veterans, representing 76% of all violent deaths among veterans.
• In 2010, nearly 1,200 veterans and active service personnel received substance abuse treatment services and 3,363 received mental health services through ODMHSAS.

Drug court programs have proven to be a successful intervention for justice-involved veterans with substance abuse and mental health treatment needs, with programs state-wide currently serving as a prison alternative for hundreds of veterans.  Additionally, several courts across the state have developed separate specialized dockets within their drug court program serving only veteran populations.  

Locations of these programs can be found here.

More information about veteran's support resources

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