Building on the 2022 Journeys to Harmful Behaviour report, the project team worked with charities and organisations throughout the justice system, as well as the military community, to raise awareness of the report’s findings and recommendations. The project highlighted the importance of identifying former Service personnel as a distinct group, and the value of embedding support services throughout the criminal justice system. This includes within probation services and courts, as well as within prison services.

The project has laid the foundations for further work, including the development of dedicated training resources for criminal justice professionals to improve the understanding of the experiences and needs of former Service personnel. In addition, the project has led to an offshoot project focused on strengthening support for families of former Service personnel in the criminal justice system.

The project’s report also identifies areas where further progress is needed to fully realise the recommendations of the Journeys to Harmful Behaviour report:

• Deeper understanding of how former Service personnel are considered within sentencing guidance and community support structures - an issue being explored through a new project funded by Forces in Mind Trust focused on understanding the sentencing experiences of former personnel

• Continued cultural change - to address some of the more challenging aspects of military culture.

• Expanded trauma-informed practice and the development of specialised pathways - to better address the underlying causes that can lead to former Service personnel becoming involved with the criminal justice system.