Behind bars but connected to family: Evidence for the benefits of family contact during incarceration.

Abstract

Incarceration separates individuals from their families and communities, strictly limiting and controlling contact with the outside world. Despite these barriers, those who maintain contact with their families during incarceration tend to function more adaptively postrelease. Within a longitudinal framework, the current study examines mechanisms (i.e., family connectedness, postrelease planning) by which contact with family during incarceration may impact postrelease functioning (i.e., recidivism, substance misuse, mental illness, community functioning), considering differences between type of contact (visits, phone calls, letters) and whether it occurred in a jail or prison setting. Participants included 507 adults incarcerated in a local jail (M age ϭ 32 years, SD ϭ 10 years; 70% male; 44.3% Black, 36.4% White; 59.5% parents). Structural equation modeling results demonstrated having more frequent contact with family during incarceration predicts increases in family connectedness, which in turn predicts better mental health during the first-year postrelease. Although not related to frequency of contact, making plans for postrelease predicted adaptive community functioning during the first-year postrelease. There were no differences in the overall model based on type of contact or incarceration in a jail versus prison setting. These findings suggest maintaining contact with family during incarceration can facilitate more psychologically healthy adjustment during the stressful process of reentering society. Furthermore, incarcerated individuals should be encouraged to make plans for postrelease while still incarcerated either independently or in collaboration with family.

Father Involvement in the First Year After Prison: Considerations for Social Work

“…Contact between inmates and family members can occur through in-person visits, mail, and telephone calls. These traditional methods of communication have been found to be largely associated with a range of positive outcomes including less inmate misconduct (Cochran, 2012;Pierce et al, 2018), lower risk of recidivism (Duwe & Clark, 2013), successful postrelease employment, lower levels of substance use (Visher et al, 2013), improved mental health during the transition into the community (Folk et al, 2019), and in the case of conjugal visits, lower risk of in-prison sexual offending (Dalessio et al, 2013). A summary of research found that child contact while in prison had a positive effect on incarcerated individuals, especially within settings that included supportive interventions (Poehlmann et al, 2010).…”

Stressful life events among incarcerated women and men: Association with depression, loneliness, hopelessness, and suicidality

“…Studies among justice-involved individuals show that social support is linked to better mental health and adjustment, buffering the impact of depression on substance use (Mowen, Boman IV, & Schweitzer, 2020 ) and exposure to stressors on engagement in violent/criminal behavior (Maschi, 2006 ; Robbers, 2004 ). Support during incarceration in particular (e.g., visitation, phone calls) is linked to better connectedness with family and better mental health (Folk, Stuewig, Mashek, Tangney, & Grossmann, 2019 ). Lack of perceived social support may be a risk factor that exacerbates the association between stressful life events and poor well-being among incarcerated individuals.…”

The Value of Fathering for Incarcerated Offenders: Implementing the “Parents as Teachers” Curriculum in Greene County, Missouri

“…Others admitted they believed their children were better off without them. These anxieties can stifle the potential for bonding with children during periods of separation and further dilute the presence of fathers in the lives of their children and their role as effective parents (Folk et al, 2019).…”