Veteran perceptions of pathways to offending: ex-Australian Defence Force personnel in South Australian prisons

This article presents the findings of the first empirical research project in Australia to explore the connection between military service and criminal offending from the perspective of the sentenced prisoner. Between 2018 and 2021, the authors undertook interviews with 16 male Australian Defence Force (ADF) veterans who had been sentenced to serve a term of imprisonment in South Australia, and were either still serving that sentence or had been released from prison within the previous five years. The veterans express a widespread and deeply held view that certain aspects of military training and culture can contribute, both directly and indirectly, to offending. The thematic analysis of the interview data discloses that military service is apt to have a criminogenic effect where veterans have experienced traumatic pre-service experiences.