In-Person and Remote Video Visitation and Reentry Outcomes

• In Event: Perceptions of Reentry Barriers and Support Options

Abstract

A growing body of research has linked visitation while incarcerated with positive aspects of reentry, including employment and desistance. However, few studies have examined how participation in remote video visitation is related to these outcomes. Using administrative data from over 7,000 individuals released from Minnesota state prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study tests the relationships between prison visitation (both in-person and remote video visits) and reentry outcomes such as recidivism and employment. The results showed both in-person and video visits were related to lower risk of reconviction, but neither type of visitation was associated with employment. Practical and theoretical implications and pathways for future research are discussed.

Author

• Susan McNeeley, Minnesota Department of Corrections