Prison Volunteers

Large numbers of correctional institutions rely on volunteers to assist staff in various programs and tasks. At present there exists a paucity of literature describing these programs and/or subjecting them to systematic evaluation. The present study uses self-report data from a sample of active volunteers at a medium-security Southern prison to profile institutional volunteers, assess the degree of volunteer satisfaction and identify issues/areas of concern that could be used to enhance the volunteer experience. Data suggests that volunteers were predominantly white, middle-aged and older men with high levels of education. Most were motivated by a strong sense of religious values and concern to help others; as such, most chose to participate in religious programs. Volunteers were largely satisfied with their experience and held high appraisals of institutional staff and inmates. This study identifies a need for additional systematic research that seeks to describe and appraise volunteer programs in correctional institutions.