Routes Out of Prison Using Life Coaches to Assist Resettlement

Scotland is undertaking one of its biggest penal reforms in a generation and is seeking a fundamental change to its approach to punishment, which is characterised by the use of very short prison sentences. This article discusses some findings from phase one of an ongoing evaluation study of Routes out of Prison (RooP) which uses Life Coaches, many of whom are themselves former prisoners, to support the transition and resettlement of large numbers of short-term prisoners back to the community. The article examines the way in which these Life Coaches were recruited and managed, how they were viewed by their clients, and the added value that peer or mentor support can offer.