Former Armed Forces personnel in the Criminal Justice System.

As we commemorate the centenary of World War 1 and the offi cial withdrawal of UK military troops from Afghanistan, the fate of former armed forces personnel has come into sharp focus once again. Most of the current generation of personnel who leave service make successful transitions back into civilian life. However, some personnel do not. A proportion will develop mental health problems, and some will fi nd themselves involved in the Criminal Justice System. In view of the Armed Forces covenant, 1 there is an expectation that more should be done to support the entire military family. An independent review 2 by Stephen Philips on behalf of the Secretary of State for Justice addresses former Armed Forces personnel in the Criminal Justice System. This review was inspired by a rising concern about the proportion of former Armed Forces personnel in prison and on probation for violent and sexual off ences. 3,4 Results from a study 5 showed that, although overall off ending in the UK military was less than expected in a comparable sample of the general population, violent off ending did not follow this trend and was overrepresented in the military sample. The review involved wide consultation with experts in research, mental health, social care, criminal justice, and legal matters and emphasises the need for national guidance on the identifi cation and management of former Armed Forces personnel in the Criminal Justice System. The recurring theme in the recommendations is a call for more training for those working within the Criminal Justice System and judiciary in understanding the needs of former Armed Forces personnel. 6 The review acknowledges the integral link between poor mental health, alcohol and substance misuse, and off ending behaviour. 4,5 The review recommends better collaboration between criminal justice and mental health agencies, both within the National Health Service and the third sector. The review also emphasises the need for greater support and interventions, not just during time in prison and probation, 7 but also earlier in the criminal justice pathway. The review clearly states that identifi cation of former Armed Forces personnel throughout the Criminal Justice System is patchy and in some instances nonexistent. We welcome the recommendations to improve data capture and recording. Although comprehensive in scope, the review was largely reliant on verbal evidence from a range of witnesses, including ourselves. Unfortunately, there is insuffi cient evidence on which to base recom …