NCJ Number
118729
Date Published
1989
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Interviews with corrections officials, psychologists, inmates, ex-prisoners, and their families document the benefits of family visits for prison inmates while they are incarcerated and when they are released.
Abstract
Interviews with prisoners emphasize that visits from family lower tension and give offenders the motivation to reform. A scenario of one visit by a wife and two young children emphasizes the effort that such visits cost families, such as transportation expenses and lack of privacy during the visit. On the other hand, the inmate can participate in family decisions and must face reality as he sees the impact of his incarceration on the family. Psychologists and corrections officials discuss the positive influence of family visits on inmate parents, as well as their children. The video highlights volunteer organizations that help facilitate family visits and asks for help for inmates' families who live in communities where no program to support prison visits exists.