Veterans in criminal justice systems in Ukraine
Objective
How can veterans in Ukraine who have committed offenses and enter the criminal justice system be best supported in their reintegration and how can professionals (like probation officers) be optimally supported to do this important work and keep mental resilience?
Results
- To identify the specific needs and challenges of Ukrainian veterans during their reintegration, as well as the needs and challenges of professionals (including police officers, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, and prison staff) who work with this population.
- To develop recommendations for improving reintegration programmes based on best practices and experiences from other countries.
- To develop a range of tools and resources to support professionals within the criminal justice system, such as a handbook, factsheets, and a risk screener for criminal behaviour and potentially other adverse outcomes, including self-harm and suicide risk. This instrument could help professionals prioritise cases and refer individuals for more comprehensive risk assessments when necessary.
- Ultimately, to increase insight and awareness and strengthen the mental resilience of professionals, such as probation officers, who work with veterans.
Revenues
Report on the Needs and Challenges of Veterans and Professionals within the Criminal Justice System
- The findings from the desk research and surveys will be described and analysed in a report. The report will provide insights into the needs, challenges, and experiences of Ukrainian veterans during their reintegration process, as well as those of professionals working within the criminal justice system. The results will serve as a basis for the development of recommendations, tools, and support materials for practice.
Database of Support Materials for Ukrainian Professionals Working with Veterans in the Criminal Justice System
- To support Ukrainian professionals working with veterans in the criminal justice system—including police officers, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, and prison staff—a range of practical tools will be developed and made available through a dedicated database. These may include a handbook, factsheets, training materials, and a risk screener. The materials will provide evidence-informed guidance on working effectively with veterans and support both daily practice and professional development.
Approach
The project combines desk research and surveys to assess veterans’ and professionals’ needs, identify international best practices and develop different material supporting professionals.
Education impact
The project will generate new insights into the risk and protective factors, as well as the needs, of veterans involved in the criminal justice system. It will also provide a better understanding of the knowledge and skills required by professionals working with this population. These insights will be incorporated into educational programmes, particularly the Working in Mandated Contexts minor within the Social Work programme, and will contribute to the professional development of current and future practitioners.
Contribution to SDGs
- SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
- SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Projectupdates
"If we can help people in Ukraine even a little, we are morally obliged to do so"
Veterans in Criminal Justice Systems: how can veterans in Ukraine who have come into contact with the justice system be best supported? Veterans in Criminal Justice Systems: how can veterans in Ukraine who have come into contact with the justice system be best supported? This is the central question of the new research project that the Lectureship 'Working in a Judicial Context' at HU will be tackling in the coming years. The research starts in July and will last two and a half years. To prepare for the project, researchers Anne-Roos Biester and Vivienne de Vogel traveled to Croatia at the beginning of May, where they talked with a delegation from Ukraine, as well as with Croatian professionals and veterans about their own experiences with support after serving in a war.
In Croatia, an international delegation of about eighteen people was present, including the Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC). CILC is an organization focused on promoting the rule of law through international legal cooperation; they initiated and fund this project. The research proposal was presented by HU and received very enthusiastically by the delegation. According to them, this project ideally should have started even earlier, Biester says.
This reaction shows a sense of urgency, as there is still a fierce war going on in Ukraine. Biester says it was an interesting but also very impressive trip. “The personal stories really affected me. I felt the enormous necessity myself. This research touches on human rights and the basic conditions for a safe life. If we can help people in Ukraine even just a little, we are morally obliged to do so.”
The Veterans in Criminal Justice Systems project aims to provide concrete guidance to professionals who support veterans in Ukraine who have come into contact with the justice system. During the visit to Croatia, several conversations were held, including with Croatian veterans, where a lot of practical knowledge was exchanged. What can the delegation from Ukraine learn from Croatia when it comes to supporting veterans, and what can researchers learn from this? The conversations show that there is still a lot of room for improvement. “Back then, the Croatian government gave veterans a lot of allowances and benefits. But what they really needed was support to get back to work and stay active; otherwise, you stay at home, overthink, and look for distractions in possibly the wrong things,” says Biester.
De Vogel says that over the next two years they will be working on developing, among other things, a manual, a risk screener, and a training program for the professionals in Ukraine who guide veterans who have committed offenses: 'We do this, among other things, by putting out online questionnaires to both professionals and veterans, and by holding interviews and focus groups.'
