Military veterans in Scottish prisons: perceptions of being inside a custodial environment

This presentation first offers conference attendees some context on former service personnel in the Scottish prison system. The results of a study which used one to one interviews and a focus group with a small number of military veterans incarcerated in Scottish prisons to discuss their experiences of imprisonment is then overviewed. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of their transcripts. This analysis identified a range of super-ordinate and sub-ordinate themes. These themes provided an insight into the perceptions of these military veterans considering; their self-identity, similarities between military and prison life, the benefits and challenges of imprisonment, and relationships between military veteran prisoners, other prisoners and prison staff. What was perceived to be their key ‘needs’ prior to, during imprisonment and in preparation for their future transition out of custody was also analysed. This included their views of the use of alcohol, community-based support, the influence imprisonment has on their families, and the stigma of imprisonment when seeking employment.