Desmond Haneef Perry is the Statewide Forensic Peer Support Supervisor at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. Additionally, he serves as the Justice/Outreach Peer Coordinator at the Community Peer Project. Previously, he held the position of Peer Criminal Justice Coordinator at Helping Other People Through Empowerment (HOPE) and worked as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Navigator at the 3c Recovery Support Training Institute. In his capacity as a Peer, Desmond is an advocate for restorative justice, prison reform, trauma-informed practices, and the training of peers within correctional facilities.
Desmond also serves as co-chair of the INTERACT Community Advisory Board. His commitment to training peers who are incarcerated in Maryland’s state facilities is deeply rooted in his own lived experiences. Entering prison at the age of 19, Desmond served a total of 20 years of a life sentence before his release in May 2022. During his incarceration, he witnessed the profound impact that peer intervention can have within correctional facilities, particularly through evidence-based, person-centered support groups like SMART Recovery. These groups significantly contribute to the mental health of incarcerated individuals.
As an Inside Peer, Desmond was instrumental in organizing, coordinating, and facilitating the most comprehensive Substance Use Disorder program within the Maryland Division of Corrections. Built on the foundation of SMART Recovery, this program provides weekly services to 500 men at the Jessup Correctional Institution. Initially launched as a pilot initiative, the Inside Peer Program has become the model for peer interventions within the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and has been expanded to eight additional prisons throughout Maryland.
Desmond adheres to the principle that “knowledge precedes speech and actions.” He has prioritized education in his life, pursuing an AA Degree in Addiction Counseling/Allied Human Services. His vision for the future is for the State of Maryland to adopt a trauma-informed approach to sentencing, emphasizing treatment over punishment.