Peer Support in Prison

Christian Perrin is an Assistant Professor in 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.

Acknowledgements

Foreword by Dr William McGowan

Introduction – Sisyphus Behind Bars

Part 1: Humanity and Interdependency in the Bleakness of Prison

Chapter 1 – “It’s nice to be nice”. A History of and Theoretical Basis for Peer Support

Chapter 2 – Peer Support in Prisons: A Magnified Effect?

Part 2: Narrativising Redemption and Recovery from Offending Behaviour

Chapter 3 – Cultivating an Internal Narrative of Desistance, “Drip-by-Drip”

Chapter 4 – The Irredeemable? How Incarcerated Peer Supporters Negotiate the ‘Sex Offender’ Label

Part 3: Obstacles and Implications for Life After Prison

Chapter 5 – Peer Support in Carceral Settings: Roadblocks in the Journey Ahead

Chapter 6 – “There’s No Promised Land, Just Hope”: Future Selves in Punitive Landscapes

Conclusion – Towards a Generative Justice

Index

Appendices