The Effect of Prison Visitation on Reentry Success: A Meta-Analysis

• In Event: Individual and Family Impacts of Incarceration

Abstract

High rates of recidivism among released prisoners have prompted policymakers and practitioners to explore novel solutions. Although visitation has been a facet of routine prison operations for decades, studies of this policy have produced mixed results. This article systematically evaluates the effect of prison visits on recidivism. Meta-analysis techniques were employed to determine the overall mean effect of visitation on recidivism and moderator effects on this relationship. The results indicate that prison visitation generates modest reductions in post-release offending, which is moderated by gender, visitation type, time at risk, and recidivism measures.

Authors

• Meghan M. Mitchell, Sam Houston State University

• Kallee Spooner, Sam Houston State University

• Di Jia, Sam Houston State University