Presents five recommended components of reentry programs based on lessons learned from 150 Second Chance Act mentoring grant recipients, with examples from programs in Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

“Adults in the criminal justice system may return from incarceration to families and communities that lack sufficient natural social supports and the resources to support positive reentry outcomes. While research has demonstrated that carefully structured, well-run mentoring programs can positively impact social, behavioral, and academic outcomes for at-risk young people, whether adults returning to their communities after incarceration can also benefit from mentoring as part of a comprehensive reentry program has yet to be determined” (p.6).

“The research related to adult reentry mentoring that does exist rarely addresses participants’ criminogenic risk levels and other factors that are known to be important in recidivism-reduction strategies. In the absence of research, reentry programs and corrections agencies are looking for guidance on how mentoring and correctional evidence-based practices…can be integrated.

To meet the existing gap in the field, this publication is intended to accomplish the following goals:

  • To provide recommendations for community-based organizations that wish to integrate adult mentoring into existing reentry programming;
  • To offer guidance on building effective partnerships with correctional agencies;
  • To promote peer learning by highlighting reentry programs that use promising practices in adult mentoring, including peer mentoring; and
  • To encourage increased data collection and evaluation through stronger collaboration between reentry programs and research partners in order to determine the value of mentoring adults in reentry” (p.6).

The authors “worked with researchers, practitioners, correctional officials, and more than 150 organizations that have been awarded Second Chance Act mentoring grants. Through this work, the [authors have] identified five broad, field-based considerations for incorporating mentoring into reentry programming. Each section of [this resource] is intended to serve as a building block for reentry programs that are currently using or contemplating using mentors for an adult population” (p.6).

“Although the primary audience for this publication is community-based organizations that incorporate adult mentoring into their portfolio of reentry programming, other readers—such as correctional agencies or legislative officials—may use this publication to gain a better understanding of the components of adult reentry mentoring” (p.7).

(Abstractor: Author and Website Staff)