Visitation and policy: implications for incarcerated individuals and their families

Abstract

ABSTRACT The United States has the highest-incarcerated population in the world. The U.S. houses 25% of the world’s incarcerated individuals. Interpretations of incarcerated visitation differ and focus on theoretical and empirical importance with social connections and their initiation via visitation shields damaging outcomes of disapproval and stereotype. An absent father due to incarceration can cause a burden on one’s family structure due to expenses related to legal costs, communication through telephone calls, transportation to visitation, and putting funds on the incarcerated individual’s account. Well-known strict correctional facility visiting atmospheres hold barriers such as limited visiting schedules, visitation processes, and offensive visiting searches which are all difficult and essentially impact the consistency and or experience of the visits. Reducing difficulties within a correctional facility by organizing visitations that can be child friendly for incarcerated fathers can help support positive relationship involvement with families.