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The Barbados Probation Service is in need of some good mentors to help offenders who are about to be released.
Deputy Chief Probation Officer Angela Dixon said the Pillars of the Community mentoring programme for formerly incarcerated people was struggling to find men willing to take part, while male offenders, on the other hand, were eagerly signing up.
“The negative influences they were exposed to before they were incarcerated are always willing and ready to take them in upon their release. Formerly incarcerated people will face a struggle to deal with those negative influences and temptations, as well as society’s attitudes toward them.
“For formerly incarcerated people, it’s critical that when you’re having a bad day or something happens, you have a positive support mechanism where you can message or call your mentor,” she said.
Most of the people accepted as mentors are already active in the community, so they gain confidence and peace of mind knowing they have established and can nurture the relationship, Dixon said, adding that it has been a while since the last group of male volunteers arrived.
The prison has a population of approximately 800 inmates, the vast majority of whom are men, and the recidivism rate is estimated to be approximately 50%.
When asked about the challenges of attracting male mentors, she said men are perceived to be different from women, not willing to share with each other and therefore reluctant to seek or give that support.
Dickson further stressed that the role of mentors is to provide support, guidance and help them reintegrate into society.
“A lot of things that we take for granted can be overwhelming for people who have been incarcerated. For example, some people didn’t have access to the same level of technology when they were incarcerated that we have today. They don’t know how to get a TAMIS number or any of the basics that we consider common today, or even how to look for a job online.
“In the initial stages, it’s the mentor’s job to help people get the basics. We need to remember that the entire time a person is in prison, they are told when to get up, when to eat, what to do and when to do it. Once they are released, they have a new freedom and they have to work to adjust to that reality,” Dickson said.
To participate in the one-year mentoring program, the minimum age is 21, and volunteers must demonstrate a certain level of maturity, have a certificate of good police conduct and pass training.
“I have found that women are more eager to serve as mentors. We don’t have a large female population, and the nature of female offending is different than male offending. In most cases, when women are released, they are provided with the necessary support systems to facilitate their transition. We have had several formerly incarcerated women join the program, which suggests that they realize they have outgrown their previous friendships and are seeking positive support,” Dickson said.
Mentors must also complete an application form and provide references as part of the screening process, which is conducted by the Management Team at the Barbados Probation Service and the Reintegration Team at the Barbados Prison Service.
They will then be paired with an inmate of a similar personality, with the first visit taking place at least three months before the offender is set free.
Dickson said the call for male mentors was because prisoners were so eager to join the program and the prison service did not want a situation where trainees were let down by a shortage of mentors.
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