Impact of Imprisonment on Families: A Comprehensive Literature Review

This literature review examines the multifaceted effects of imprisonment on the families of offenders. It explores the meaning of imprisonment, its impact on partners and families, and the specific challenges faced by children with incarcerated parents. The review synthesizes various perspectives from academic sources, including the loss of income, social stigma, difficulties in maintaining contact, and the emotional and psychological toll on family members. It highlights issues such as financial burdens, the breakdown of relationships, and the adverse effects on children's education, behavior, and mental health. The review also considers the impact on partners, including emotional distress and potential divorce. Furthermore, it discusses the role of societal attitudes and the lack of support for families of prisoners, emphasizing the need for understanding and intervention to mitigate the negative consequences of imprisonment on the families involved. The study concludes by emphasizing the long-term effects on children's well-being and the importance of support systems for these vulnerable families.

Effects of Imprisonment on
the Families of Offenders

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Methodology ...................................................................................................................................3
Results and discussion.....................................................................................................................4
Meaning of imprisonment...........................................................................................................4
Effect of imprisonment on the family and partner......................................................................5
Impact of imprisonment on children...........................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

Topic of Literature Review: Effects of Imprisonment on the Families of Offenders
INTRODUCTION
Literature review is very significant part in the research that provides detail knowledge
about subject by addressed several article's journal and books. It includes statements, views and
opinion of different authors about subject.
An offender is a person who has committed a crime and imprisonment refers to
punishment of someone who kept in prison for many years, possibly until they die. In the legal
definition, it can be said that imprisonment is the kind of punishment which give by government
and legal authority to person due to the crime which done by them. (Booth, 2018) It is a kind of
legal procedure which carried out by the legal authority and conducted in the court. All decision
regarding imprisonment is taken by judge in the court. It is divided into two part that is lawful
imprisonment and unlawful imprisonment. On the other hand, unlawful imprisonment is a
violation of the personal liberty of another. The report based on the life of offenders and their
families in duration of imprisonment. Various kinds of effects that puts on offender families has
been defined in this report. The main objective of this literature review is to understand the
influence of imprisonment on the families of offenders. Various kinds of problems and issues
that faced by the offender family, children and other relative has been systematically discussed in
this literature review. For collect effective information regarding subject that is effective of
imprisonment on the families of offenders, some research methodology in the literature has been
used such as inclusion and exclusion criteria, key word method, numbers of articles data base
and search engine etc.
Methodology
Methodology plays a very crucial role in the literature review by which researcher can
collect information from the secondary data sources like journal, books, magazines and
newspaper. Information in the literature review can search by the several methods such as
inclusive and exclusive criteria, key search terms, data base search engine utilise, peer reviewed
empirical studies etc. In this present study, scholar have used inclusive and exclusive criteria
under which in the inclusive criteria, characteristics of the prospective subject is included.
Keywords: Imprisonment, imprisoned parents, impact of imprisonment on children etc.

Results and discussion
Meaning of imprisonment
According to the view of Murray, (2005) imprisonment is the punishment of life that
someone will be kept in prison for many years, possible until they die. Imprisonment is the
restraint of a person liberty, for any cause whatever, whether by authority of the government.
While any person acts any crime then as per the regulation and rules, government punish them so
this kind of punishment is known as the jail. Penalization is legitimate or legal. Legitimate
punishment is utilized either for wrongdoing or for the presence of gathering in a common suit or
on captures in execution. Then again unlawful imprisonment is an infringement of the individual
freedom of another.
Youngsters might be increasingly influenced if their mother and father detained and if
parents are detained all the more every now and again or for longer period. Kids’ education and
career may likewise have affected by the imprisonment of parents. Forgive viable training and
concentrates to kids it is vital for offer help from parents. Without parents’ support and back it
might complex to give successful instruction to youngsters. While mother and father are
enhanced in the jail then training and profession may to a great extent impacted. At some point,
youngsters may move to another zone, new home or another school due to imprisonment. The
imprisonment of parents incites a solid response on their kids.
They may experience numerous circumstance in their life like misery, depression, stress,
outrage, feeling of misfortune and so on. A portion of the kids don't go to class, school and in the
public because of the disgrace, fear, injury, blame and low self-esteem. Imprisonment of an
accomplice can be candidly pulverizing and essentially weakening. There are different issues and
issue may look by accomplice of detainees, for example, loss of pay, social disengagement,
challenges of looking after contact, disintegration seeing someone, additional weights of
childcare, weight of their training and so forth. Detainees families regularly encounter
comparative pressure and strain since they experience the ill effects of the misbehaviours and
discourtesy of society and different networks. They lost their social notoriety and additionally
regard in the public and network. It has honey bee additionally found that individuals and
network part don't care to make and persistent association with group of detainees.

Effect of imprisonment on the family and partner
In the perspective of Arditti, (2012) stated one of the major issue faced by the prisoner is
loss of contact with family members. They may face difficulty to maintain regular contact with
family like children, partners etc. In the duration of imprisonment of offender, several
consequences included such as reduce the job opportunities, education, effective living standard,
social support etc. The main issue arises for family and partner is financial burden. According to
the view of Braman, (2002) in the society, there is no importance of the family of prisoners.
Other society cut the contact with prisoner family members. In addition to this, family member
has to pay fees in the legal procedure. Thus it can be said that imprisonment hugely affect family
member of prisoners.
In the opinion of Murray and Farrington, (2005) the major impact of imprisonment is
there on life partner because they mentally pressurised because of imprisonment. Loss of
income, pressure of society, disrespect of other community member, burden of children, children
education burden, problem in creating contact with partner who stacked in prison are major
issues that may face by prisoners in the prisons. In some cases, it has been found that
imprisonment of partner can generate the issue of divorce. Due to the imprisonment, partner
takes divorce from their partners. Detainment of a spouse was for the most part experienced as
an emergency of family evisceration as opposed to an emergency of discouragement through
disgrace and disgrace. Stigma alludes to the experience solely by spouses whose husbands were
detained out of the blue and afterward just at the underlying phases of the division.
In the perspective of Hairston, (1991) stated that among the most of the common issues
reported that 57 percent of spouses said that they encountered decay in association with
neighbour and companions, 63 percent of wife said that they encountered crumbling in monetary
circumstance, 81% of wife experienced weakening in their work, 46% wife said that they are
experienced disintegration in show state of mind of marriage and feasible arrangements, 63% of
wife are experienced decay in the social movement and 60% of wife experienced weakening in
association with in laws. In this way, one might say that accomplice confronted different
negative impacts because of the detainment.

In the contradicting view Travis and Waul, (2003) Due to the imprisoned father and
mother, major issue faced by the family is related to the loss of income and their financial
condition is negatively affected. They have to pay the fees of lawyers and invest in other
procedure of court through which they may face huge income loss. Loss of income is
compounded by additional expenses of prison visits, mail, telephone calls and sending money to
imprisoned activities. Due to the imprisonment, partner can also move divorce and relationship
problems health problem, medical problem etc.
Partner have to survive single parenthood at a particularly during vulnerable time. Lack
of information about the visiting and long procedure for meeting and contact is another major
issue that may face by family members of offenders. Prisons are not a family friendly places to
visit so whenever family member goes to prison in order to meet with offenders then they may
face difficulty regarding long waiting line, incontinent visiting, pay fees to authorities for
meeting with prisoners etc. In addition to this, in the prison, staff member attitude is too rude and
aggressive due to which family members can afraid to come again and again and children also
afraid to come prisons because its environment and atmosphere is too different.
In the opinion of Mills and Codd, (2008) prisoners’ families often experience similar
stress and tension because they suffer from the misbehaviours and disrespect of society and other

communities. They lost their social reputation as well as respect in the society and community. It
has bee also found that people and community member do not like to make and continuous
relationship with family of prisoners. Hagan and Dinovitzer, (1999) stated that black prisoners’
families ensure additional harassment in the English penal system.
Impact of imprisonment on children
As per the view of Hagan and Dinovitzer, (1999) Prisoners children is largely affected by
the imprisonment because they suffer from the loss of mental pressure. Children career and
education is negatively affected by the imprisonment. While parents imprisoned in the prison
then it will directly affect to children. There are several kinds of issue faced by children when
their parents imprisoned such as withdrawal, clinging behaviour, sleep problems, regression,
eating, running away, depression, hyperactivity, aggressive behaviour. As compare to the general
children, 30% of children suffers from the mental pressure and disappointment. In addition to
this 50% of female said that their children behaviour is changed after their father imprisoned.
In the opinion of Hairston, (2003) children of the prisoners may negatively influenced
because it is difficult to survive without their mother and father. All parents are strength of their
children who support them in every aspects of life. It has found from various studies that
children of prisoners need extra support as they are too sensitive in nature. Teenage children
require the additional support and love from their parent such as mother and father and if anyone
misses from children life then it directly affects mental health of that particular children. In the
Parental imprisonment includes antisocial behaviour, mental health problem offending, drug
abuse, school failure and unemployment and these all issues of the prisoners largely affect the
family member, children and partner life. If children father is imprisoned then children may face
from inadequate finance, social support, mental support etc. They may also suffer from
misbehaviour and disrespect of their children and people in the school and college. On the other
hand, if children mother is imprisoned then they may suffer from lack of social and economic
support.
For the children it is a major risk factor of parental imprisonment. It includes various
adverse outcome for children such as antisocial behaviour, offending, mental health issue,
financial loss, school failure, unemployment, drug abuse, disrespect from other in community,
loss of mental health and love from parents etc. Parental imprisonment might cause these
outcomes by various procedures. In this process includes family come under poverty line due to

imprisonment, the trauma of parent child separation, stigma and stress involved in maintaining
contact with offenders in prison. Rodriguez and Turnover, (2018) stated that children may be
more and more affected if their mother and father imprisoned and if parents are imprisoned more
frequently or for longer period. Children education and career may also influence by the
imprisonment of parents. For provide effective education and studies to children it is very
important for provide support from parents. In the absence of parents’ support and finance it may
complex to provide effective education to children.
While mother and father are improved in the prison then education and career may
largely influence. It has been found that 134 imprisoned men and 68 imprisoned women are
imprisoned in the UK prison due to the various kinds of crimes. In order to maintain contact with
family members, prisoners face several kinds of difficulties. In addition to this 81% of prisoners
said that contact with family is very significant. In addition to this it has been also found that
95% of women said that regular contact with family is very important to them but 67 percent
imprisoned mothers were visited by their children. It has been found that most imprisoned
parents and their children get touch with each other by use of call, telephone, mail and visits. In
addition to this, 43 percent of prisoners had at least monthly contact with their children by
telephone. With help of regular meeting and contact with prisoners, children can easily adjust
their life.
Prisoners who talk with their children on regular basis can easily adjust in the prison
environment. Thus, it is very important to regular contact with children to prisoner through
which they can easily survive their life. Sometime, children may move to a new area, new home
or a new school because of imprisonment.The imprisonment of parents provokes a strong
reaction on their children. They may suffer from many situations in their life like sadness,
loneliness, worry, anger, sense of loss etc. Some of the children do not go to school, college and
in the society due to the shame, fear, trauma, guilt and low self-esteem.
In the opinion of McGinley and Jones, (2018) when any person goes in the prison then
their family member can largely influence because in the legal procedure like appeal in the court
and all, huge amount of money required. Thus, it can be said that impact of imprisonment largely
affects economic condition of the family as they invest large amount of money in the legal cases
and procedure of court. The criminal justice system has intended to focus on offenders as
individual while ignoring their families.

CONCLUSION
From this entire literature review it has been analysed that while any person is imprisoned
then its huge impact puts on the family members like partner and children. They may face related
to loss of income, financial problem, disrespect from other members in society and communities,
mental health problems, fear to loss partner and family member etc. It has been concluded that
there are several impacts of the imprisonment of offender on the family member. Majorly partner
suffers from the imprisonment because they have fear to loss their life partner and they do not
have support from anyone in their life. In addition to this, children may also suffer from huge
influence as they may also suffer from misbehaviour and disrespect of their children and people
in the school and college.Children career and education may also negatively affect by
imprisonment of parents because they do not have sufficient money to carry out their education
and studies.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Murray, J., 2005. The effects of imprisonment on families and children of prisoners. The effects
of imprisonment. pp.442-492.
Arditti, J. A., 2012. Parental incarceration and the family: Psychological and social effects of
imprisonment on children, parents, and caregivers. NYU Press.
Braman, D., 2002. Families and incarceration (Doctoral dissertation, Yale University).
Murray, J. and Farrington, D. P., 2005. Parental imprisonment: effects on boys’ antisocial
behaviour and delinquency through the life‐course. Journal of Child Psychology and
psychiatry. 46(12). pp.1269-1278.
Hairston, C. F., 1991. Family ties during imprisonment: Important to whom and for what. J. Soc.
& Soc. Welfare. 18. pp.87.
Travis, J. and Waul, M. eds., 2003. Prisoners once removed: The impact of incarceration and
reentry on children, families, and communities. The Urban Insitute.
Mills, A. and Codd, H., 2008. Prisoners' families and offender management: Mobilizing social
capital. Probation Journal. 55(1). pp.9-24.
Hagan, J. and Dinovitzer, R., 1999. Collateral consequences of imprisonment for children,
communities, and prisoners. Crime and justice. 26. pp.121-162.
Hairston, C., 2003. Prisoners and their families. Prisoners once removed: The impact of
incarceration and reentry on children, families, and communities.2003. pp.259-284.
Rodriguez, N. and Turanovic, J. J., 2018. Impact of incarceration on families and communities.
The Oxford Handbook of Prisons and Imprisonment.pp.189.
McGinley, M. and Jones, C., 2018. Growing Up with Parental Imprisonment: Children’s
Experiences of Managing Stigma, Secrecy and Shame. Practice.pp.1-17.
Hardy, J., 2018. Parental Incarceration’s Effect on Family: Effects on Mothers, Fathers,
Marriage, Children, and Socioeconomic Status. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth/Le
Journal Canadien de Famille et de la Jeunesse. 10(1). pp.119-140.
Booth, N., 2018. Maintaining Family Ties: The Disparities between Policy and Practice
Following Maternal Imprisonment in England And Wales. Contemporary Research and
Analysis on the Children of Prisoners: Invisible Children. pp.155.
Online
Impact of imprisonment on family member, 2014. [Online]. Available through.https:
<//www.nap.edu/read/18613/chapter/11.>.