Inside the Black Box: Prison Visitation, the Costs of Offending, and Inmate Social Capital

• In Event: Visitation Behind Bars

Abstract

Imprisonment as a penal sanction causes hardships for both prisoners and their family members and friends. Prison visitation is perceived to be an integral part of rehabilitation that helps maintain essential social relationships. The purpose of the current study is to address an important literature gap and investigate how visitation affects inmates' social capital, and whether it influences inmates' perceptions of the costs incurred by their family members and friends as a result of their incarceration. This study uses data from a recent survey of male prisoners. Different aspects of visitation are included, such as the types of visitors and the frequency of visitation. Descriptive and regression analyses are used. Results indicate that the effect of visitation is complex and varies depending on the type of visitor. Parental visits carry particular weight in inmates' perception of collateral pains of imprisonment while visits from children and other family members relate positively to perceived post- release employment prospects. The findings suggest that prison visitation contributes to the maintenance of inmates' social capital and may have the potential to shape their perceptions of the informal costs of reoffending. Regular visitation during incarceration may play a crucial role in successful reentry.

Authors

• Siyu Liu, University at Albany, SUNY

• Justin T. Pickett, University at Albany, SUNY

• Thomas R. Baker, Virginia Commonwealth University