Peer Mentors as Prison Volunteers: Building Bridges Between Institutions and Communities

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Departments of Corrections utilize volunteers to offset costs.
• Prison volunteers offer diverse programs to incarcerated populations.
• Peer mentors, individuals with criminal justice experience who have desisted, are a unique subset of prison volunteers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the motivations and experiences of prison peer mentors.
• To explore the factors driving individuals with lived experience to volunteer within correctional facilities.

Main Methods:

• The study involved a sample of 51 peer mentors.
• Thematic analysis was used to assess self-reported motivations and experiences.

Main Results:

• Participants reported internal, relational, and religious/community-based motivations for volunteering.
• Mentors acknowledged and overcame barriers associated with returning to prisons to provide services.

Conclusions:

• Peer mentors are driven by multifaceted motivations to serve incarcerated individuals.
• Further research and policy should leverage the distinct advantages peer mentors offer.