The rights and needs of families as they navigate a loved one’s incarceration

The United States currently has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and with just under 2.3 million people incarcerated across jails and prisons, it also holds the title for the highest incarcerated population of any country. In addition to the direct impact of incarceration on the nearly 2.3 million individuals, their loved ones are also affected. Current research consistently demonstrates that not only are children and other family members negatively impacted emotionally and financially when a loved one is incarcerated, but maintaining family connections is shown to improve the well-being and behavior of incarcerated individuals, reduce recidivism, and ease reentry. Despite this knowledge, state prisons continue to create barriers related to prison visitation and communication that impede families’ abilities to maintain these ever important and positive connections. Currently, limited research exists that looks at the experiences of families as they try to navigate these barriers. Using key-informant interviews with service providers and policy advocates who work alongside incarcerated individuals and their families, this report examines common challenges that family members face when trying to understand and navigate state prison systems. The report also explores the legal rights and expressed needs of families affected by incarceration. Ultimately, the report provides three policy recommendations that recognize the positive impact of familial connections throughout incarceration by proposing legislation that would improve the treatment of families within the prison system, codify family visitation rights, and compel incarceration to occur closer to homePublic AffairsSocial Wor