Assisting veterans at HMPs Grendon and Springhill

This article explains how HMP Grendon, a Category B prison accommodating six discrete therapeutic communities, is well placed to assist veterans. Pertinently, the genesis of therapeutic communities lay in the development of a supportive treatment environment for returning Second World War POWs who were experiencing difficulties in adjusting to civilian life. The model was subsequently applied to other mental health and forensic settings during the 1950s and 1960s, including Grendon. Explained is how the regime can address veterans’ needs. This is supported by accounts showing how Grendon has assisted four current residents. The adjacent open prison, HMP Springhill, provides practical help to veterans. This will be described.