Does prior military experience enhance career progression in correctional work? An analysis of promotions for veteran correctional officers in Canada

Many jurisdictions have schemes to support Veterans leaving the Armed Forces, and they are often targeted for correctional work. However, we know relatively little about how Veterans progress in their role once working in corrections. We use quantitative methods to analyse survey responses from 391 Correctional Officers (COs) in Canadian Provincial/Territorial, and Federal penitentiaries to explore whether and how military experience influences professional advancement via promotion. Although Veterans are preferentially hired, they are slightly less likely than non-Veterans to have been promoted. However, where they have been promoted, they are significantly more likely than non-Veterans to have received their first promotion at a very early stage in their careers. We consider possible reasons for these findings and their implications for the recruitment and development of Veterans in correctional service.