NCJ Number
148599
Date Published
1994
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This report describes ways to maintain family links for prison inmates in the United Kingdom to give them the best possible chance of leading stable, productive, and law- abiding lives after release.
Abstract
The report notes that ex-offenders who have strong and supportive family ties during their imprisonment are much more likely than other offenders to lead productive and law- abiding lives after release. However, family relationships are difficult to maintain in prison and are sometimes damaged beyond repair. Thus, many inmates leave prison facing an uncertain future, with no stable basis on which to begin the difficult process of reintegration into society. Inmates' families also experience negative effects from the loss of their family member. To address these issues, the Prison Service should help develop a network of family support groups, consult with prisoners' families' groups, consider the effect on families when making decisions about where inmates are held, continue to move toward community prisons, enable the families to help prisoners plan for release provided the prisoner consents, help families to prepare for release, provide a method for complaints, ensure that families of pretrial detainees are fully informed, and make use of community resources to assist families. Visits, home leave and temporary release, and community services after release are also needed. Additional recommendations and photographs