- The study highlights ethical concerns about blurred lines between support and the unpaid labour of peer mentors within prisons in England and Wales
- Prisoners who act as peer mentors in women's prisons are taking on extra duties without proper training, often stepping into roles meant for staff and facing emotionally challenging or high-risk situations
- Researchers call for clearer role definitions and better support for peer mentors
New research from the University of Portsmouth has found that peer mentors in women's prisons are taking on extra responsibilities without proper training, putting themselves in potentially high-risk situations.
Published in Sage Journals , the study explores how peer mentoring in women's prisons in England and Wales helps reduce staff workload, but also raises concerns about the unclear boundaries between their roles and staff duties, and the emotional strain placed on them.
Within prisons in England and Wales, peer mentors are trusted inmates with lived experience who are trained to support other prisoners and help with challenges like navigating prison life and substance abuse.
Chosen for their responsibility and communication skills, peer mentors offer emotional support and practical advice by using their own experiences. They connect with and encourage fellow prisoners in ways staff often cannot, while also assisting with prison operations.
The study found that peer mentoring helps prisons manage staff shortages by taking on tasks usually done by prison officers, like running induction sessions and assisting with paperwork alongside new prisoners, and resolving conflicts.
Peer mentors serve an important function in prisons, yet their duties can sometimes cross the line into unpaid prison labour. This raises ethical concerns as the individuals are undertaking staff responsibilities without formal authority or protection. This can put extra pressure on peer mentors, especially in emotional and difficult situations.
During the study, some peer mentors expressed how they struggled to switch off from their role, often hiding their feelings to appear calm. This kind of emotional strain can lead to stress and even secondary trauma, especially in women's prisons where mental health issues and self-harm are more common. The findings, therefore, raise concerns about asking prisoners to take on such emotionally demanding roles.
Dr April Smith , a senior lecturer from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice , said: "The focus of the paper was on peer mentoring as a rehabilitative intervention, using women in prison to support their fellow inmates.
"While there are benefits to both the staff and the peer mentors, I was particularly interested in the experience of the mentors themselves. What I didn't expect to find was how much the prison relied on them to support day-to-day operations - especially in the context of overcrowding and staffing shortages.
"This revealed a second, institutional function of peer mentoring, raising bigger questions about how support and prison management work together."
While peer mentoring is meant to be supportive, the study shows that confusion between helping and controlling others can add pressure on peer mentors. This includes emotional stress, unclear roles, and feeling like the prison depends too much on them.
"Peer mentoring is common practice in prisons, but there's often a disconnect in how the role is understood," added Dr Smith. "We need clearer role descriptions, and charities and prisons must work together on this, as their needs may differ.
"It's important to clarify what peer mentors are, and aren't expected to do, especially in risky situations where mentors sometimes step in before prison officers, despite lacking formal training. Ensuring proper support for peer mentors is essential."
The study highlights the need for further research to understand how peer mentoring functions across different prisons and what factors make it beneficial rather than detrimental for those providing support.
