Assessing the Institutional Barriers and Individual Motivational Factors to Participation in Prison-Based Programs

Prison-based programs have been shown to reduce recidivism and aid successful reentry. Participation in prison programs has also been linked to reduced misconduct within prisons. And yet, programs are not always readily available and, even when they are available, some inmates may not be motivated or interested in participating in them. Using data collected from a private Southern prison, this study examined barriers and motivational factors related to participation in prison programing among a sample of 212 male inmates. Our results indicate that two of the barriers assessed, lack of space in the programs and programs not offered often enough, limited participation. Higher perceptions of prison legitimacy, interest in programs, and higher self-esteem were associated with higher levels of participation.