Photopolymers are interesting materials for use in recording information in holography. We study the holographic behavior and stability of volume holograms recorded in poly(vinyl alcohol)--acrylamide photopolymers with and without a cross linker. Using a first-harmonic diffusion model, we analyze the residual monomer that remains when volume diffraction gratings are recorded in photopolymer materials. The importance of this residual monomer to the stability of the gratings is evaluated.