“Be All That You Can Be”: The Role of Identity, Pro‐Social Labeling, and Narratives in Veterans Treatment Courts*

Abstract

Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) are one of the ever‐developing brands of specialty or problem‐solving courts that have emerged in recent decades. These courts recognize that the criminal behavior stems from a variety of issues, and that punishment should represent a therapeutic jurisprudential approach in its strategies. As such, VTCs treat substance abuse and mental health issues and address criminality in a manner that recognizes a need for individualized treatment and accountability in structure. This research provides an in‐depth institutional ethnography of one Southern California VTC (SC VTC). To understand the powerful transformative tools of identity and narrative, this research utilized over 3 years of non‐participant observation at 117 court sessions in the SC VTC, and 23 in‐depth interviews with both current court participants and graduates and a judge, exploring participants' experiences with and perceptions of the SC VTC. This study demonstrates the utility of identity‐based narratives to navigate legal systems and potentially desist from crime. These mechanisms of narrative and identity provide a powerful illumination of these courts that have ramifications for successful reintegration into society post‐criminal justice interaction.