The role and value of volunteers in the Criminal Justice System: A European study
[[{"fid":"3259","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"558","width":"392","style":"width: 300px; height: 427px; float: right;","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]Volunteering plays an integral role in a wide variety of settings across Europe’s courts, prisons, probation systems and non-governmental organisations. Volunteering supports work with (ex) offenders, their families and the victims of crime; although the form and scale of this contribution varies significantly.
"Without my mentor I would have re-offended on the same day I came out of prison."
Our latest report, The role and value of volunteers in the Criminal Justice System: A European Study, finds that to truly modernise volunteering, it must lose its image of being an activity which people just do for personal, altruistic reasons, and move towards becoming a key social networking activity grounded in a commitment to civic engagement. Volunteering should be seen as an integral part of the rehabilitation process, not as simply an add-on or free resource.
"The diversity of voluntary work is integral to how the justice system delivers services."
As part of our Justice Involving Volunteers in Europe (JIVE) project, we present the findings of a European-wide survey conducted during 2014; providing direct comparisons between EU Member States covering a range of topics including: the activities undertaken by volunteers, the types of organisations that involve volunteers, training and recruitment, and what lies behind the motivations of volunteers across Europe.
"Volunteers complement the work of paid professionals and significantly increase the scope of work."
The report makes a series of recommendations to policy makers, including:
- A European mandate to promote improved integration of justice with voluntary sector services.
- A European standard of accredited training to improve the response to complex target groups.
- Improve recruitment, training and support practices to reflect a demanding voluntary role.
- Volunteer programmes should be adequately resourced and volunteers’ value recognised.
- European investment in a culture of volunteering.
Download the report here
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