Denmark: Primus Motor (‘Driving Force’)

Primus Motor (‘Driving Force’) is an innovative and well-structured prison-based mentoring program aiming to reduce recidivism. While mentoring schemes usually offer only a one-on-one-relationship, each participating inmate is carefully matched with two volunteer mentors from the inmate’s release area. In order to ensure a qualified effort, mentors have been trained and are offered supervision. They persistently support and motivate mentees’ skill-building and law-abiding behavior during frequent prison visits and throughout the well-documented particularly vulnerable transition period of release.

Primus Motor is especially targeted at repeat offenders and inmates, who are usually the most unreachable for resocialization measures. The intervention has a holistic approach to the reintegration of inmates into society by considering both e.g. health-related, educational, work-related, housing and social needs in cooperation with the Danish Prison and Probation Service and municipal actors.

The Jury awards the Danish project ‘Primus Motor’ (‘Driving Force’) third place. They commended the provision of peer support through the use of volunteers, especially in combination with the target group.  Especially, since the volunteering culture is not yet a common practice throughout Europe. Additionally, the Jury applauded the involvement of various partners to ensure good assistance as well as obtain relevant outcomes.