How families respond to the collateral consequences of incarceration and prisoner reentry

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThe goal of this research was to investigate the ways in which families respond to the collateral consequences of incarceration and reentry.BackgroundAlthough scholars have extensively documented the collateral consequences of mass incarceration for individuals, far less attention has been paid to families, particularly the adult relatives of incarcerated or formerly incarcerated persons who are the primary social support agents.MethodThe current study draws from 24 in‐depth, semistructured interviews with the parents, siblings, romantic partners, and other relatives of formerly incarcerated persons in an urban, mid‐sized Midwestern city. We employed a multistage qualitative analysis.ResultsThe analysis revealed 10 stress‐induced responses among families. These responses largely involved individuals' self‐reliance on their personal efficacy, some reflecting maladaptive responses, while having limited external or formal supports on which to rely when facing strains from familial incarceration.ImplicationFindings suggest that the significant socioeconomic and psychological tax families pay when supporting a justice system–involved relative compromises their well‐being. This study has the potential to inform treatment, research, practices, and policies involving families that are affected by incarceration.