'The Prison System Doesn’t Make It Comfortable to Visit': Prison Visitation From the Perspectives of People Incarcerated and Family Members

Autor: Breanna Boppre, Dana Dehart, Cheri J. Shapiro
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Criminal Justice and Behavior. 49:1474-1494
ISSN: 1552-3594
0093-8548
DOI: 10.1177/00938548221094823
Popis: While extensive research documents the causes and impacts of incarceration, the effects on families are under discussion. Prison visitation is one mechanism to help families communicate and bond, yet the institutions and restrictive policies often create distinct barriers and stressors. This qualitative descriptive study examines experiences and perceptions of visitation through focus groups with 77 people incarcerated and interviews with 21 family members in one southeastern U.S. state. Using thematic analysis, three major themes were developed through qualitative coding of participants’ responses: financial and time-related burdens, stress from rules and regulations, and familial interactions. Our findings highlight that although visitation can help maintain social bonds among families, the barriers, processes, and procedures overshadow the visit itself. The weight of such stressors is especially felt by immediate family members and women who visit. The findings are discussed in light of implications for correctional policy and future visitation research.
Databáze: OpenAIRE