November 11, 2009: New Inquiry Into Ex-Service
Prisoners
The Howard League for Penal
Reform has today (Armistice Day) announced an independent inquiry into
former armed service personnel in prison. The inquiry will be chaired by
leading barrister
Sir John
Nutting QC.
The inquiry’s advisory group comprises:
- Admiral the Lord Boyce GCB OBE DL
- General the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank
GCB LVO OBE DL
- Major General David Jenkins
- Wing Commander Dr Hugh Milroy, Chief
Executive of Veterans Aid
- Chris Sheffield OBE, former governor of
Liverpool and Manchester prisons
- Elfyn Llwyd MP
The inquiry is expected to last a year, and
in which time the inquiry will hold consultation sessions with key
stakeholders, visit prisons and go to the United States to examine new
developments such as the introduction of
Veterans’ Courts.
There are currently 84,593 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.
Over 20,000 ex-servicemen are either in prison, being
supervised by the probation service, or on parole, according to an earlier
study
from probation union
Napo.
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.
The inquiry is being held at the instigation
of Howard League President
Lord Carlile QC, after he received representations concerning the
numbers of former armed service personnel in the prison system.
Lord Carlile QC said:
“As the oldest penal reform charity in the
world, and with
United Nations consultative status, the Howard League for Penal Reform
is well placed to launch such an important inquiry. I hope this inquiry will
start a debate on how to deal with those most affected by their time in the
forces. It is imperative that we find ways to help prevent armed service
personnel ending up in prison."
“It is fitting that the inquiry launches on
Armistice Day, when the whole country remembers the sacrifices our armed
forces have made on our behalf.”
Sir John Nutting QC, chair of the inquiry,
said:
“I am delighted to have been invited by the
Howard League for Penal Reform to chair this important inquiry. There is
mounting evidence that increasing numbers of former armed service personnel
are finding themselves in prison and we are worried as to the implications.
It is widely known that many former armed service personnel face
difficulties when returning to the community as a civilian."
“We need to get to the bottom of 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.”
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