Peer Support in Prison

Christian Perrin is an Assistant Professor of Forensic Psychology at the University of Birmingham. He maintains active research interests spanning the UK, US, and UAE. He primarily teaches forensic and social psychology modules and conducts research in the areas of incarceration, restorative justice, social work, and community reintegration. He has worked in several prisons internationally and has cultivated a wealth of experience in forensic and clinical settings. He holds other interests in individual and organisational wellbeing and enjoys collaborating with organisations to make meaningful improvements in ‘psychological flexibility’ – a construct he connects with closely as an Acceptance and Commitment Therapist.

• AcknowledgementsForeword by Dr William McGowanIntroduction – Sisyphus Behind BarsPart I: Humanity and Interdependency in the Bleakness of PrisonChapter 1 – “It’s Nice to Be Nice”. A History of and Theoretical Basis for Peer SupportChapter 2 – Peer Support in Prisons: A Magnified Effect?Part II: Narrativising Redemption and Recovery From Offending BehaviourChapter 3 – Cultivating an Internal Narrative of Desistance, 'Drip-by-Drip'Chapter 4 – The Irredeemable? How Incarcerated Peer Supporters Negotiate the ‘Sex Offender’ LabelPart III: Obstacles and Implications for Life After PrisonChapter 5 – Peer Support in Carceral Settings: Roadblocks in the Journey AheadChapter 6 – “There’s No Promised Land, Just Hope”: Future Selves in Punitive LandscapesConclusion – Towards a Generative JusticeAppendicesIndex

“In this careful, insider-perspective book, Christian Perrin shows that the core principles of peer support - reciprocity, empathy, and connectedness - generate meaning and purpose in the abyss of prison life. Hope becomes a form of a revolt. This is an important addition to the desistance literature.”Alison Liebling, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Cambridge“Perrin opens his powerful study with a brilliant, seldom-asked question: How do human beings find meaning in the devastating bleakness of incarceration? He finds that many people in despair find meaning by devoting themselves to helping their fellow humans cope with their own darkness. We could learn a lot from this wisdom.”Shadd Maruna, Professor of Justice and Human Development, Queen’s University Belfast“Christian Perrin’s book offers a nuanced view of what peer programs mean during imprisonment and how social bonds and caring practices between people who are serving time can facilitate desistance. This is the type of scholarship that is needed to better understand what it means to shift the carceral system toward one that affirms humanity and care for all.”Laura S. Abrams, Chair and Professor of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles