Inmate Social Ties and the Transition to Society

Abstract

Despite increased scholarly and policy attention to prisoner reentry, much remains unknown about the factors that contribute to a successful transition from prison to society. The authors focused on a neglected but potentially critical factor, inmate visitation, that may reduce recidivism. The expectation of such an effect stems from prominent crime theories and an increasing body of work that stresses the importance of social ties to the reentry process. Using data from the Florida Department of Corrections, the authors tested hypotheses about the effects of visitation on recidivism. The measures of visitation included whether any visits occurred, the frequency and recency of visitation, and the type of visitor received (e.g., family member, friend). The authors also examined whether visitation effects varied by age, sex, race, type of instant offense, and prior incarceration. The findings indicate that visitation reduces and delays recidivism. Their implications for theory, research, and policy are discussed.

Playwork in prison as a mechanism to support family health and well-being

“…Other literature shows how maintaining contact through prison visits is beneficial for improved social connectedness on release and a greater likelihood of reduced re-offending (Bales and Mears, 2008). This research has shown the benefits of enhancing the standard prison visits experience through using play as a medium to foster greater bonding between prisoners and their children.…”

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

“…6 Ditchfield (1994 demonstrated that prisoners without active family support are between two and six times more likely to re-offend within the first year of release than those with family support. Bales and Mears (2008), in their U.S. based study, reported that family visits reduce and delays recidivism, with visits from spouses producing a more pronounced reduction.…”

“…This is clearly emphasised in the prison rules which state: The importance placed on visits by the Prison Service is supported by the wider literature. It has long been held that enabling prisoners to maintain family ties whilst incarcerated offers a series of benefits both during and after confinement (Bales & Mears, 2008). Firstly, research indicates that family contact reduces the likelihood of prisoners re-offending.…”

Encarcelamiento, lazos familiares y reincidencia. Explorando los límites del familismo

“…Referencias a ello se encuentran en Ohlin (1951), Glaser (1964), Hairston (1988) y Schroeder, Giordano y Cernkovich (2010). Otros trabajos como los de Duwe y Clark (2013) ;Cobbina, Huebner y Berg (2012); Mears et al (2012); Berg y Huebner (2011) y Bales y Mears (2008), han profundizado en el estudio de la relación entre la reincidencia y los lazos familiares durante el encarcelamiento, concluyendo que la presencia e intensidad de dichos lazos está asociada a una reducción y retraso de la reincidencia, si bien los resultados no son siempre coincidentes en identificar qué clase de familiares tienen más relevancia en esta reducción ni cuáles son los mecanismos implicados.…”