Despite great strides in research on the collateral consequences of incarceration, we know relatively little about family life during imprisonment. In an effort to extend prior work, the current study examines family processes among caregivers, prisoners, and children during prison visitation. Drawing from in-depth interviews with 52 caregivers of children of incarcerated parents, we use open and axial coding techniques to identify the interactions and interpersonal exchanges that take place among family members during prison visitation. Analyses revealed that in addition to universal engagement in Family Time, three familial processes unfolded in the carceral setting: Attempts to Bond, Declarations of Family Responsibilities, and Messages of Reform. Our findings illuminate the complex needs and fragile relationships of prisoners and their families, and have important implications for reentry, offender rehabilitation, and family well-being.
There are volumes of research on inmate misconduct; however, few studies focus on institutional violence among juvenile inmates and even fewer examine violent misconduct among youth sentenced as adults and transferred to prison. The current study draws on theories of importation and deprivation and relies on self-report data from in-depth interviews conducted between February 2001 and March 2003 with 95 male juvenile inmates incarcerated in adult prisons in Arizona and New York. The current study fills a void in prior research by examining a specialized and relatively underresearched population to better understand the predictors of violent misconduct among youth in prison. The findings suggest that the importation measure of gang membership and the deprivation measure of threatened with a weapon are significantly associated with violent misconduct. Correctional policy implications are discussed.
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