BMJ  2007;334:382 (24 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39128.705718.3A

Letters

Mental health of offenders

Young military veterans show similar help seeking behaviour

A study undertaken by the King's Centre for Military Health Research had similar findings to those reported by Howerton et al.¹ The study investigated the help seeking paths of young men (n=74) leaving Colchester Military Corrective Training Centre, colloquially known as the "military prison." Young veterans found it difficult to access available resettlement services for a variety of reasons including: previous bad experiences with other services, lack of knowledge of what services were available, and feelings that these services would not be able to help. Additionally, this group had high levels of mental ill health, both before discharge (n=61, 82%) and six months after leaving (n=39, 53%). Only a small minority of those with mental health problems were seeking help for these problems, and most preferred to use informal networks of support, such as friends and family. Six months after leaving, only one participant with a mental health problem reported seeking help for it.

Previous research has highlighted the need for early interventions among recently released prison populations, with 21% of suicides occurring in the first 28 days after release.² This is especially concerning as within the UK armed forces, there are more suicides in men younger than 20 than in the equivalent UK general population.³

Services need to be better targeted in order to address the needs of these more vulnerable groups. Further, services based on less formal support networks (such as mentoring) may provide a more successful way to integrate vulnerable groups into resettlement services. In our study population, 82% (n=61) said that they would have found a mentor useful in their transition from military prison into civilian life. This structure could provide "an informal relationship delivered in a formal structure" and so better mimic the chosen support networks of this vulnerable group.

King's College London, London SE5 9RJ

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Competing interests: None declared.

References

1. Howerton A, Byng R, Campbell J, Hess D, Owens C, Aitken P. Understanding help seeking behaviour among male offenders: qualitative interview study. BMJ 2007;334:303-6. (10 February.)[Abstract/Free Full Text]
2. Pratt D, Piper M, Appleby L, Webb R, Shaw J. Suicide in recently released prisoners: a population-based study cohort. Lancet 2006;368:199-23.[ISI][Medline]
3. Defence Analytical Services Agency. Open deaths and suicides in the UK regular armed forces 1984-2005. www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/pdfs/suicide/suicideMar06.pdf

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Related Article

Understanding help seeking behaviour among male offenders: qualitative interview study

Amanda Howerton, Richard Byng, John Campbell, David Hess, Christabel Owens, and Peter Aitken
BMJ 2007 334: 303. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]