Research funded to understand why ex-Service personnel commit serious violent offences

The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has awarded the Probation Institute a grant of £80,404 for an 18-month project to research the factors influencing the behaviour of ex-Service personnel who commit serious violent offences and how such offences could be prevented in the future.

Researchers will develop case studies from approximately 12 interviews with ex-Service personnel who have committed serious offences of violence, their case workers and their families with the view of designing a learning source for practitioners working with serious offenders.

There are a number of evidence gaps the research will address which include: identifying the factors leading to the crime; gaining a better understanding of the factors influencing the individual’s choices and patterns of behaviour; and assessing the transition experience and years following.

The experiences of the families will be included to provide an holistic understanding of the needs, risks and protective factors and how families might be more effectively engaged to prevent serious offences occurring.

Ray Lock, Chief Executive, Forces in Mind Trust, said: “Our aim is to enable all ex-Service personnel and their families to have a successful and sustainable transition to civilian life. We do this through generating robust evidence to influence policy makers and service providers in the decisions they make about the community we represent.

“The Probation Institute has highlighted an evidence gap in relation to why ex-Service personnel have a higher conviction of serious violent offences to a person than the wider public. This latest research aims to identify factors that influence the individual and what preventative measures could be put in place to reduce the likelihood of this trend continuing.”

Helen Schofield, Acting Chief Executive, Probation Institute, said: “The Probation Institute is very pleased to be working again with the Forces In Mind Trust to support ex-Service personnel and in particular those who find themselves in personal difficulties which impact on the well-being of others.”

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