title: Critical concerns in Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran-forensic interface: combat-related postdeployment criminal violence.
abstract: Identifying whether there is a nexus between Iraq and Afghanistan combat injuries and civilian violence on return from deployment is complicated by differences in reactions of individuals to combat exposure, the overlapping effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the low base rate of civilian violence after combat exposure. Moreover, the overall prevalence of violence among returning Iraq and Afghanistan combat war veterans has not been well documented. Malingered symptoms and either exaggeration or outright fabrication of war zone exposure are challenges to rendering forensic opinions, with the risk reduced by accessing military documents that corroborate war zone duties and exposure. This article serves as a first step toward understanding what may potentiate violence among returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. We offer a systematic approach toward the purpose of forensic case formulation that addresses whether combat duty/war zone exposure and associated clinical conditions are linked to criminal violence on return to civilian life.
authors.affiliation: Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System Forensic Outreach Services, 11301 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA.
authors.forename: Shoba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sreenivasan
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Garrick
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Smee
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dow
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Woehl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002655:Child Custody / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D004243:Divorce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006708:Homicide / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology