In his op-ed, Dieter Cantu, 2024 Healthy Communities Fellow, emphasizes the importance of peer mentorship for incarcerated youth, arguing that those who have experienced the juvenile justice system are best suited to mentor and support current detainees. He highlights the barriers former inmates face in becoming mentors due to restrictive background checks and advocates for policy changes to facilitate their involvement. Cantu underscores the potential of peer mentorship to reduce recidivism and promote rehabilitation, urging states to revise regulations and streamline processes to enable effective mentorship programs.
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