Roundtable: Incarceration, Fathers and Family

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract

Around 10 million men are held in penal institutions worldwide. Many of these men are fathers. Families experience unintended effects of fathers’ imprisonment, but families also serve as a protective factor. Whereas penal systems for women are relatively family-focused, male penal systems are not. A family-focused approach in the male penal system is relevant for many reasons. For example, ignoring families of detainees violates the ‘Principle of Minimal Restrictions’. In addition, father’s consciousness of his family-role increases compliance of interventions and stimulates desistance from crime. Also, healthy family relationships form a social safety net which promotes reintegration after detention. In the current male penal systems, maintaining family bonds is being complicated rather than being stimulated. Male prison culture is often characterized by secrecy around family and children. The aim of this roundtable session is to exchange knowledge on the costs and benefits of family-focused interventions and thereby provide more insight into best practices of a family-focused approach in prisons. We aim to exchange knowledge for both scientific, policy and practical purposes. Dialogues like these will help to reduce unintended effects on families of incarcerated fathers, make prison life more profitable and reduce recidivism.

Sub Unit

• Area XIII: Roundtable Sessions

Chair

• Joni Reef, Leiden University, The Netherlands

Discussants

• Pauline Schuyt, University of Leiden, The Netherlands

• Rachel Condry, University of Oxford

• Sara Wakefield, Rutgers University

• Megan Comfort, RTI International

• Susan Dennison, Griffith University

• Kirsten Besemer, Griffith University

• Johnna Christian, Rutgers University