Exploring the Factors Influencing Family Members’ Connections to Incarcerated Individuals Johnna Christian, Ph.D. Rutgers School of Criminal Justice

Prison Population Nationwide 2,131,180 people incarcerated in prisons and jails in 2004 Nationwide 2,131,180 people incarcerated in prisons and jails in 2004 New Jersey adult prison population 26,239 in 2004 New Jersey adult prison population 26,239 in 2004 In New Jersey 63% of adult, male inmates are African American and 17% Hispanic In New Jersey 63% of adult, male inmates are African American and 17% Hispanic Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of prison inmates found 55% of State and 63% of Federal inmates have children under age 18 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of prison inmates found 55% of State and 63% of Federal inmates have children under age 18 Nationwide, 7% of black children have an incarcerated parent Nationwide, 7% of black children have an incarcerated parent

Systems Approach to Studying Incarceration Expands focus to family and other individuals in the prisoner’s network as well as the larger community Expands focus to family and other individuals in the prisoner’s network as well as the larger community Explores the unintended consequences, hidden costs, or collateral damages of incarceration Explores the unintended consequences, hidden costs, or collateral damages of incarceration Incarceration geographically concentrated in a small number of communities Incarceration geographically concentrated in a small number of communities

Policy Considerations Prisoner Reentry Prisoner Reentry 600,000 individuals per year returning to communities 600,000 individuals per year returning to communities Families viewed as a primary means of successful reentry Families viewed as a primary means of successful reentry We know little about the nature of families’ attachments to prisoners during incarceration or in the pre-incarceration phase. This may have implications for the reentry period. We know little about the nature of families’ attachments to prisoners during incarceration or in the pre-incarceration phase. This may have implications for the reentry period. We know little about how family connections to prisoners impacts their ability to connect to social capital in their neighborhoods. We know little about how family connections to prisoners impacts their ability to connect to social capital in their neighborhoods.

What do we know about prisoner connections to family? Bureau of Justice Statistics Report Bureau of Justice Statistics Report 57% of fathers never had a personal visit with their children since admission to prison 57% of fathers never had a personal visit with their children since admission to prison 62% have had contact of some sort (42% phone, 50% mail, 21% visits) 62% have had contact of some sort (42% phone, 50% mail, 21% visits) Surveys of prisoners in specific facilities Surveys of prisoners in specific facilities Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (Western, Lopoo, and McLanahan, 2004) Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (Western, Lopoo, and McLanahan, 2004)

Approaches to Studying Connections Typically use cross sectional data to determine the connection/nature of the relationship at one point in time Typically use cross sectional data to determine the connection/nature of the relationship at one point in time Relationships are complex, fluid, and dynamic Relationships are complex, fluid, and dynamic Life history approach needed Life history approach needed

Data Sources Observation on five bus rides taking families from Columbus Circle to upstate New York prisons Observation on five bus rides taking families from Columbus Circle to upstate New York prisons Attendance at family support group meetings for Prison Families of New York Attendance at family support group meetings for Prison Families of New York Open ended, in-depth interviews with 18 family members of prisoners Open ended, in-depth interviews with 18 family members of prisoners

Family Interview Sample Characteristics 17 women, 1 man 17 women, 1 man 14 African American, 4 Hispanic 14 African American, 4 Hispanic 7 wives, 4 mothers, 5 girlfriends, 1 sister, 1 brother 7 wives, 4 mothers, 5 girlfriends, 1 sister, 1 brother Visiting frequency ranged from weekly to every six months Visiting frequency ranged from weekly to every six months 7 families have multiple incarcerated individuals in their lives 7 families have multiple incarcerated individuals in their lives

Maintaining Connections With Prisoners Resources Resources Tradeoffs with other areas of life Tradeoffs with other areas of life Setting boundaries with the prisoner Setting boundaries with the prisoner

Resources Time Time For families traveling from New York to upstate prisons, the process takes 24 hours For families traveling from New York to upstate prisons, the process takes 24 hours Routines of preparation before the ride Routines of preparation before the ride Navigating prison bureaucracy Navigating prison bureaucracy Money Money Average $100 for one family member to visit (bus ticket, food while traveling and in the facility, packages) Average $100 for one family member to visit (bus ticket, food while traveling and in the facility, packages) Providing goods for the inmate Providing goods for the inmate Energy Energy Exhaustion from the ride affects the quality of the visit Exhaustion from the ride affects the quality of the visit

Tradeoffs Resources are diverted from other needs and areas of life Resources are diverted from other needs and areas of life Time spent with children/supervising children Time spent with children/supervising children Generation of social network/connections to neighborhood institutions Generation of social network/connections to neighborhood institutions Free time/relaxation Free time/relaxation Family’s material needs Family’s material needs

Setting Boundaries Families learn to protect their resources/social capital from the prisoner Families learn to protect their resources/social capital from the prisoner Restrict calling frequency, block calls, limit visits, take a break from visiting Restrict calling frequency, block calls, limit visits, take a break from visiting Failure to do this could lead to short or long term severed ties Failure to do this could lead to short or long term severed ties

Potential Benefits of Connection Social bonding for family and children Social bonding for family and children Fewer disciplinary infractions for inmates Fewer disciplinary infractions for inmates Decreased likelihood of recidivism Decreased likelihood of recidivism Easier transition into the family upon release Easier transition into the family upon release

Potential Costs to Families Demands of visiting at prison Demands of visiting at prison Monitoring the prison system Monitoring the prison system Helping children understand incarceration Helping children understand incarceration Multiple incarcerated family members Multiple incarcerated family members Isolation from social networks Isolation from social networks Maintaining family emotionally Maintaining family emotionally Maintaining family financially Maintaining family financially

Elements of Life Course Approach Relationship prior to incarceration Relationship prior to incarceration Prisoner’s efforts at rehabilitation and repairing harm to family Prisoner’s efforts at rehabilitation and repairing harm to family Incarceration’s impact on family’s economic resources Incarceration’s impact on family’s economic resources Incarceration’s impact on social resources Incarceration’s impact on social resources Family’s social support network Family’s social support network

Policy Considerations Identify critical points in the life course of the family relationship Identify critical points in the life course of the family relationship Provide extra resources or intervention at these points Provide extra resources or intervention at these points Increase attention to options for maintaining contact. (internet, video conferencing, transportation, reasonably priced phone calls) Increase attention to options for maintaining contact. (internet, video conferencing, transportation, reasonably priced phone calls)