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Inquiry into former armed service personnel in prison
The issue
There are 85,000 people in prison in England and Wales and estimates put the proportion who have previously served in the armed forces at anywhere between 5% and 10%. This means that at any one time some 4,000 to 8,300 prisoners have served in the armed forces. The vast majority are male. Many are former army, although the navy too is represented, particularly the Royal Marines. Soldiers comprise by far the largest occupational group in the prison system.
In addition, there are a large number of ex-servicemen who are under supervision and serving community sentences or are being supervised following a lengthy prison sentence.
It is widely known that many former armed service personnel face difficulties when returning to the community as a civilian. The inquiry aims to discover why so many of them find themselves caught up in the criminal justice system after they have left the services. It is vital that the complex needs of armed forces personnel are adequately addressed and that we do everything we can to help those who serve their country adjust to civilian life.
Advisory group
The Howard League online