The utility of peer-support in enhancing the treatment of incarcerated sexual offenders

Abstract

Purpose In the quest to maximize treatment gains, recent research has shifted focus from treatment itself to the context in which treatment takes place. Such investigations have alluded to rehabilitative climate, therapeutic alliance, prison social climate, and the efficacy of group process. The purpose of this paper is to review peer-support as a mechanism via which these goals might be reached. Design/methodology/approach A review of the literature on peer-support in carceral settings was undertaken in February 2017. Findings While there is very little research exploring peer-support in the context of offender rehabilitation, there are some promising signs from many qualitative investigations that peer-led roles can bridge many gaps in support within the therapeutic context. Research limitations/implications More research on the potential negative impact of peer-support in carceral setting is needed. Practical implications This paper proposes that the implementation of peer-support programs that operate alongside treatment interventions represent an encouraging direction for the future. It is argued that prisoner-led peer-support initiatives that are characterized by shared problem solving and reciprocal emotional support can greatly reduce the anxiety prisoners face surrounding treatment. It is suggested that, through peer-support, treatment gains may be enhanced and better assimilated into program-completers’ lives. Social implications Peer-support may assist current treatment approaches with sexual offenders and could therefore potentially contribute to reductions in recidivism. Originality/value This paper is the first to review peer-support in the context of imprisonment and offender therapy. It therefore provides an important status update for future researchers wishing to investigate this topic, and outlines several priorities that such research might interrogate further.

Maximizing the utility of peer support in carceral settings: A few stumbling blocks to consider

“…When Jeremy responds as he should, telling staff that he cannot disclose any such information, he experiences some informal sanctioning. This finding is especially disheartening in the light of previous studies that report how supporters' relationships with prison staff often improve as a consequence of the trust they are able to build from 'doing good' (Perrin and Blagden, 2014;Perrin Frost and Ware, 2018). Indeed, widespread research has described the entrenched challenge of overcoming prisoner and staff conflict (Crewe, 2011(Crewe, , 2012Liebling et al, 2010) and peer support can play a mediating role here, so long as all parties observe the regulations surrounding peer-led programmes.…”

“…Through what have been termed ‘active citizenship’ roles (Edgar et al, 2011), residents earn the opportunity to continually enact prosocial attitudes and behaviours and energize cognitive shifts that are underpinned by generativity and redemption plots (Maruna, 2001; McAdams, 2006). These agentic inputs were invaluable for incarcerated peer supporters in a study conducted by Perrin and Blagden (2014), and a follow-up in 2017 (Perrin et al, 2018). The former study reviewed the impact of the Samaritans’ ‘Listener Scheme’ (Samaritans is a UK charity focused on helping individuals with suicidal thoughts).…”

“…Participants reported that upholding such a meaningful role in prison afforded them a sense of purpose, enabled them to build trust with prison officers, instilled a sense of perspective and self-control, and allowed them to feel like they were ‘making good’ on the harm they had caused prior to entering prison. Perrin et al (2018) conducted a follow-up study exploring a wider range of peer support roles and found that such roles appear to equip residents with enhanced confidence and self-esteem, an increased sense of relatedness to others, and a constructive use of time.…”

“…At the very least, being a peer supporter while serving time appears to afford residents a sense of hope and a modicum of reassurance that their life is not over (Perrin and Blagden, 2014, 2016). These findings are contributing to a wave of optimism surrounding active citizenship in prison (Edgar et al, 2011; Snow, 2002; Snow and Biggar, 2006); the role of altruism in treatment contexts (Ward and Durrant, 2013); and the potential for peer support to assimilate into other promising rehabilitation and resettlement initiatives such as Good Lives Plans (Ward and Brown, 2004), Circles of Support and Accountability (Wilson et al, 2009), and therapeutic community interventions (Perrin Frost and Ware, 2018).…”

A narrative review of research on clinical responses to the problem of sexual offenses in the last decade

“…In addition to psychiatric settings and correctional settings, individuals with sex offenses can also participate in treatment within the community. Peer‐support programs offer shared problem‐solving, and emotional support helps to reduce the anxiety that offenders face during treatment (Perrin, Frost, & Ware, ). Sexual recidivism rates for those who have completed community‐based programs were also significantly reduced, while high dropout rates are associated with a higher likelihood of recidivism (Lambie & Stewart, ).…”