Community Mentors Working with Justice-Involved Youth: What Do They Think about Mentoring?

Background: This study examined the mentoring experiences and perceptions of community mentors engaging adolescent males involved in the juvenile justice system. With the proliferation of mentoring efforts focused on youth, research has explored the benefits of mentoring, characteristics of the relationship, and attributes of the mentor. Yet, there exists a paucity of research examining mentor beliefs about their role and experience mentoring. An exploration of what mentors believe about their potential to guide delinquent youth is merited in order to inform community efforts to promote positive youth development.

Methods: Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey design which included self-reporting on three measures and a semi-structured interview. The Cost-Benefit Scale measured whether individuals believed that the benefits (such as gaining a sense of fulfilment) of mentoring outweighed the costs (such as requiring time). The Mentor Attitudinal Scale measured whether a mentor viewed their role and obligation toward mentoring as supporting rehabilitation of the youth or as facilitating enforcement of supervision. The Locus of Control scale measured whether a mentor’s belief that life’s circumstances (e.g., success, control) are internally or externally driven. Measures and interviews were conducted as part of a longitudinal juvenile study. A convenience sample of adult mentors (N=45) was recruited through agency announcements and referrals. Most participants were male (51%), White (53%), between 60 to 69 years old (33%), and had a college degree or higher (68%).

Descriptive statistics were used to summarize scores on measures. An iterative content analysis approach was used to identify emergent themes from transcribed interview transcripts.

 Results: On average (M=79.97, SD=5.63) participants strongly believed that the benefits of serving as a mentor outweighed the potential costs. Mentors also had low ratings on the Mentor Attitudinal Scale, ranging from 11 to 32, indicating that the mentors have a strong focus on rehabilitation and change. On average (M=4.22, SD=2.28), the mentors’ scores on The Locus of Control scale indicated a general belief that success is driven by internal or individual power rather than external factors. The emergent themes described by mentors in their discussions of youth engagement and mentoring interaction included: 1) serving as a role model, 2) building a new relationship that will last, and 3) listening to youth.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings suggest that mentors have strong beliefs about an individual’s ability to improve their own situation. Through mentoring, adults conclude that a relationship with a justice-involved youth is a rewarding opportunity to facilitate change. By developing a relationship focused on role modeling, adult mentors attempted to reduce delinquent behaviors. Future studies could examine the process of mentoring to promote positive change. Do certain relationship building activities or interpersonal exchanges improve youth outcomes more than others?