The Gendered Context of Military Service and Differential Effects on Offending Trajectories

• In Event: The Gendered Context of Life Events and Their Impact on Offending and Desistance

Abstract

The military as an institution impacts millions of men’s and women’s lives every year. The violent veterans model argues that, by training service-members to use violence and weapons, the military creates an environment in which that violence carries over from acceptable locations (i.e., training and combat operations) to the civilian world, resulting in criminal behavior, especially violence, and increased contact with the criminal justice system. On the other hand, researchers have also pointed to military service as a beneficial turning point in the life course, especially for those from disadvantaged and/or delinquent backgrounds. Most studies, however, only focus on the influence of military service among men. In an era when more women are entering the military and combat roles are increasingly open to female service-members, it is important to consider how women experience military service and the impact of service on their offending behavior, especially aggression. This paper uses the Add Health data to specifically consider the gendered context of military service and its relationship to offending trajectories.

Authors

• Leana A. Bouffard, Sam Houston State University

• Jessica M. Craig, University of North Texas