Investigating the Impact of Prison Visitation on Visitors' Mental Health in Australia

• In Event: Impact of Visitation in Jails and Prisons

Abstract

There is limited research on prison visitors’ mental health in Australia. Previous literature available on visitation points to it being a detrimental experience for visitors’ physical, emotional and mental health. Using a mixed methods design, this research furthers our understanding of the relationship between prison visitation and visitors’ mental health problems. A total of 248 participants were recruited via social media and completed a self-administered online survey about prison visitation. Twenty-one of these participants also participated in an in-depth interview that further explored their prison visitation experiences. Using a series of statistical analyses and thematic analysis, the data will be analyzed to identify patterns, trends and key themes that show how prison visitation affects visitors’ mental health. The findings of this study will be discussed along with their implications for prison policy and practice.

Author

• Nicole Ryan, La Trobe University