Going to Prison: A Prison Visitation Program

Abstract

Drawing on survey data collected from 396 visitors to inmates at a medium-security prison, this research examines the experience of visiting inmates from the visitor's perspective. Data include visitors' demographics, relationships to inmates, social, psychological, and emotional contexts of visits, barriers to visitation, other means of maintaining contact, and perceptions of the visitation program. Analysis also shows that visitors'age, race, education, and frequency of visits are significantly related to perceptions of the visitation experience and environment. Discussion of the value of visitation programs and how correctional administrators can best structure and operate visitation programs is provided.

The significance of ‘the visit’ in an English category-B prison: views from prisoners, prisoners’ families and prison staff

“…There have been calls in the literature to better understand the prison visit from varying perspectives (Codd, 2008;Mills, 2005;Tewksbury & DeMichele, 2005). Tewksbury and DeMichele (2005), for instance, recommend that research should be conducted in various prison facilities to gain further insight into the process of visiting a relative.…”

“…Tewksbury and DeMichele (2005), for instance, recommend that research should be conducted in various prison facilities to gain further insight into the process of visiting a relative. Mills (2005) also suggests that more attention should be paid to prisoners' own views on family ties and the visits process.…”

Nearly Invisible: The Psychosocial and Health Needs of Women with Male Partners in Prison

“…While there has been research conducted directly with these women, it has been primarily focused on their risk for developing HIV (Comfort, Grinstead, Faigeles, & Zack, 2004;Grinstead et al, 2005); family interactions during visitation (Comfort, 2002(Comfort, , 2003Tewksbury & Demichele, 2005); or personal accounts by women whose husbands have been incarcerated (Girshick, 1996;Fishman, 2004;Comfort, 2008). These studies use small sample sizes and qualitative methods.…”

How does prison visiting affect female offenders' mental health? Implications for education and development

“…These factors can create feelings of guilt in women, who may witness how tiring the journey has been, the effort made and the time taken out of their visitors' day. Women may conclude that they are not ''worthy'' of the endeavour made by their visitor to see them (Tewksbury and DeMichele, 2005).…”