Assessing and addressing domestic abuse by Ex-armed service personnel. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Madoc-Jones, Iolo; Lloyd-Jones, Nikki; Owen, Emyr; Gorden, Caroline
• Is Part Of: Probation journal. Volume 65:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 201
• Page End: 218
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: armed forces -- domestic abuse -- interventions -- engagement -- risk assessment; Probation -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 364.6305
• DOI: 10.1177/0264550518768401
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-5505

Abstract

In the context that separate peer-led services are increasingly being developed to meet the needs of Ex-armed service personnel (Ex-asp) in the criminal justice system, we explore whether such services should also be developed to address any tendencies towards domestic abuse. Based on interviews with 12 imprisoned Ex-asp and 10 service-affiliated informants working with them, we found domestic abuse is not always recognized as a potential problem for Ex-asp. Nonetheless, respondents suggested that interventions to address the potential for domestic abuse by some Ex-asp would be useful and legitimate if they are provided by those with service affiliations. Considering our findings, however, we strike a note of caution about separate and peer-led approaches becoming the default option for working with Ex-asp in the criminal justice system. We suggest the gendered nature of military culture may be associated with concerns about the implications of re-engaging Ex-asp with their military identities. Moreover, being steeped in military culture, we suggest that without training some service-affiliated staff may be unsighted on important aspects of the role gender expectancies play in domestic abuse and poorly placed to respond appropriately to this type of offending.