Rate of Crime and Involvement of Army Soldiers in Post-Conflict Society in Sri Lanka; Gender Representation in Crime and Lack of the Psycho-social Awareness in the Army

Abstract

The rate of crime and the involvement of army soldiers, in postconflict society in Sri Lanka, are substantially significant as the lack of psycho-social awareness in the army profession has caused an increase in the a number of individual criminal incidents in postwar society. In addition, the representation of gender in the rate of crime in the army is of equal relevance to this study. This study focused on the level of the awareness of psycho-social knowledge and how it affects the rate of crime as well as the gender representation of crime in Sri Lanka’s postconflict society. Using a mixed methodology, this study was conducted in the Northern and Eastern Provinces covering 10army camps. The quantitative analysis revealed the level of psycho-social knowledge and army involvement in post war national crimes. Apart from a survey administered to 50 army service men and women from the army camps, 10 cases of nationally reported crimes were also analyzed to identify the relationship and involvement of the army in those crimes. In addition, 10 in-depth interviews with a focus group were conducted to investigate the real nature of the mind of arm soldiers after the long drawn out 30 years of war. The data gathered from the afore mentioned quantitative and qualitative methods were analyzed and compared in terms of the objectives of the study. Based on the gathered data and their analysis, this study draws the following conclusions. Army involvement in national crimes is minimal, however, based on the 10 criminal cases studied to analyses factors behind the relationship between army involvements towards crime in post-conflict society, it was revealed that the lack of the knowledge of psychology and lack of appreciation for art and culture have caused some army service men and women to commit crimes. After the war if army soldiers, who had previously been engaged in combat, knew how to manage their depression using psycho-social awareness they could have avoided being involved in criminal activities. Both male and female soldiers communicated their hidden feelings and sexual desires, and there have been occurrences of criminal incidents. However, there were significantly more male involvement in these crimes. Finally, this study highlights the necessity for a comprehensive course on empowerment in psycho-social awareness at the very beginning of the initial training provided in the army as well as in the post –conflict society context. Thus the establishment of a specialized division for mental health services is highly recommended for the military sectors.