As a former serviceman myself (Royal Air Force), I was shocked by the results of a recent pilot scheme run by Kent Police in conjunction with the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help.

The 12 week pilot scheme looked at how many ex-service personnel were entering the criminal justice system. To capture the necessary data, throughout the pilot Kent Police adapted the custody computer system to ask detainees if they had served in the forces. The results surprised me.

The findings showed that in the three months from April and June, 232 former and current servicemen and women were arrested in the county – an average of four a day – with a third for violent crime.

The majority were men aged between 18 and 29, with almost half unemployed. Projected nationwide, the figures suggest thousands are getting into trouble with the law every month.

Neil Payne, divisional secretary at SSAFA, said the traumas of war and readjusting to civilian life were to blame for the high number of military offenders, thought to make up eight per cent of the prison and probation population.

Other forces are apparently looking at conducting similar trials.

(story from Kent News)

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