Forces in Mind Trust has awarded £107,980 to the University of Nottingham to research the sentencing experiences of former Service personnel involved with the criminal justice system.
Pictured: Soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh sit on deployable Bridging during a rock drill on the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area in Poland on Ex Steadfast Defender.
Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, the largest NATO deployment of its kind in a generation, is a programme of exercises designed to train and demonstrate the Alliances ability to reinforce continental Europe via movement of forces from the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.
This demonstrates the ability to move soldiers, their vehicles and equipment quickly across thousands of miles to enable the defence of NATO territory. The UK plays a leading role in NATO and this exercise is about demonstrating the British Army’s ability to operate and fight, including providing leadership and operating well with partners from across the alliance. In turn this demonstrates the importance of NATO to the security resilience of the UK.
In collaboration with Care after Combat and Nottinghamshire Offender Healthcare, the research aims to understand how being a former Service personnel impacts sentencing decision in the criminal justice system.
Initial research into sentencing amongst former Service personnel suggested that there may be disparities in how a military background can influence legal guidance and judicial decisions, but further research is needed to understand the impact on sentencing fairness.
This project aims to explore former Service personnel experiences of sentencing, understand the legal guidance given to them, and to inform legal and sentencing outcomes and future support for former Service personnel who have been in the justice system.
The outputs of this research will aim to help educate key professionals in court, judicial and legal practice about the status, experiences and justice outcomes of former personnel. They will inform future preventative work aimed at reducing former Service personnel’s contact with the criminal justice system.
Dr Lauren Hall, Assistant Professor in Criminology at University of Nottingham
“Research on the impact of ex-military status in sentencing is limited, though early findings suggest it may be significant. We are pleased to be undertaking this research that can help to bridge this gap in understanding and enhance support for members of the Armed Forces community who have been in the justice system.”
Michelle Alston, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust
“Whilst the vast majority of former Service personnel will never come into contact with the criminal justice system, it is important that any Service personnel who do will not face disadvantage due to their service. This funding addresses a gap in evidence and understanding that can help support the small minority of former Service personnel that do have contact with the criminal justice system and help ensure fairness for former Service personnel during sentencing.”
