More of the Same, Only Worse: COVID and Administrative Burdens Facing Loved Ones of Incarcerated Men

• In Event: Exploring the Collateral Consequences of Incarceration on Families and Communities

Abstract

Officials have introduced measures to preserve the health of incarcerated individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. These institutional approaches neglect the challenges of responses for individuals with incarcerated loved ones. We provide the first empirical insights into the situation of loved ones in Canada as they try to maintain meaningful contact with incarcerated friends and family members in the face of pandemic restrictions. We conducted 181 longitudinal interviews from April 2020 to January 2021 with 29 individuals who have incarcerated loved ones to understand the experiences of loved ones during COVID-19. A major theme of our research is participants’ emphasis on unclear, unpredictable, and untrusted communications between prisoners, loved ones, and institutions regarding the COVID-19 situation in prison. We find that this contributes to emotional and physical distress among loved ones and isolation from social support systems among incarcerated individuals. We also discuss how prisoners and their loved ones have navigated communication barriers by adapting internal politics to facilitate more regular contact. Our findings are interpreted through the lens of ‘administrative burden’, which appreciates our participants’ experiences navigating and adapting to undue circumstances and suggests a wider applicably for individuals who have diverse encounters with the criminal justice system.

Authors

• Alysha Danielle Mcdonald, McMaster University

• Luca Berardi, McMaster University

• Kevin Haggerty, University of Alberta

• Justin Tetrault, University of Alberta Augustana

• Sandra Bucerius, University of Alberta