“Emerging from the shadows”: motivations of prison end-of-life peer volunteers from advocates’ perspectives

This novel article explores how correctional end-of-life care advocates interpret and describe the motivations of incarcerated peer volunteers who provide care for dying peers. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 12 advocates across three US states and utilizing interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this article examines how advocates construct narratives about incarcerated volunteers’ participation in end-of-life programs, including themes of compassion, atonement, inclusion, and humanity. Findings suggest that while peer volunteers provide unique forms of care that professional staff often cannot, such as fostering trust, sitting vigil, and reducing suffering, the data reflect advocates’ perspectives rather than direct accounts from volunteers themselves. The article acknowledges this limitation and situates the findings as interpretations of volunteers’ presumed motivations and the broader dynamics of care in correctional settings. Recommendations for policy, practice, and research are discussed, emphasizing the importance of peer-caregiving programs in enhancing humane and dignified end-of-life care in prisons.