Living in the Living in the ShadowsShadows

Children & families of prisoners Children & families of prisoners

Mark HeybourneMark HeybourneAction for Prisoners’ FamiliesAction for Prisoners’ Families

www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

When he got arrested it caused loads of When he got arrested it caused loads of fights in the family. People were really fights in the family. People were really

upset with him. Mum didn’t know till upset with him. Mum didn’t know till someone told her. I felt upset and I missed someone told her. I felt upset and I missed

him all the time. But I was ashamed and him all the time. But I was ashamed and didn’t want to tell people. We never got didn’t want to tell people. We never got any information from anyone, where he any information from anyone, where he

was or what was happening.was or what was happening.

(15 year old male, father in prison(15 year old male, father in prison))

‘‘The police and the Judge have been The police and the Judge have been so insensitive. I feel like they had no so insensitive. I feel like they had no care about me. I felt I had no-one to care about me. I felt I had no-one to

talk to. I only told my two best friends. talk to. I only told my two best friends. The school doesn't know because I The school doesn't know because I don’t think they will be sympathetic. don’t think they will be sympathetic. Now I am doing my GCSEs I really Now I am doing my GCSEs I really

wished they knew. ‘wished they knew. ‘

(16 year old female, both parents in (16 year old female, both parents in prison)prison)

A 14 yr old girl said A 14 yr old girl said

““It makes you feel horrible, like you It makes you feel horrible, like you have done something too. They have done something too. They

watch you and make you feel guilty watch you and make you feel guilty just for being there. They search you just for being there. They search you

and make you take your shoes off and make you take your shoes off and you feel stupid and horrible. You and you feel stupid and horrible. You

don’t get used to it”.don’t get used to it”.

A 13 yr old boy said A 13 yr old boy said ““It gets on my nerves how much there is to It gets on my nerves how much there is to go through. No-one can have any privacy. go through. No-one can have any privacy.

You want some space to yourself. It is You want some space to yourself. It is dead boring just sitting there. The chairs dead boring just sitting there. The chairs

are uncomfortable and there isn’t anything are uncomfortable and there isn’t anything to do. You just sit there and wait for ages, to do. You just sit there and wait for ages, just to go in. I don’t know why they have just to go in. I don’t know why they have

to make you wait all that time”to make you wait all that time”

“To keep his interest in the family so he doesn’t forget us, so he doesn’t forget that we exist.

But also to let him know that we care” (13 year old male, step-father in prison)

“She mustn’t think we don’t love her. She might harm herself again if she

thinks we don’t love her” (15 year old female, mother in prison)

45% of people in prison lose 45% of people in prison lose contact with their familiescontact with their families

22% of people who were 22% of people who were married on imprisonment married on imprisonment

become separated or divorcedbecome separated or divorced

People in prison who are able to maintain good family contact are up to SIX times

less likely to re-offend.

““I personally recommend the I personally recommend the course to anyone. It has bought course to anyone. It has bought

me and my fiancé closer as a me and my fiancé closer as a couple and we are now both couple and we are now both

happy in our relationship and happy in our relationship and looking forward to being looking forward to being reunited on my release.”reunited on my release.”

Resettlement of Imprisoned Fathers into Families in the UK

Margaret O’BrienUEA

Supported by Nuffield Foundation

Aim and objectives

• To explore the factors which promote and/or hinder the successful resettlement of fathers into the lives of their children and families following imprisonment.

• To assess the quality of prisoner fathers’ parental and couple relationships prior to release;

• To explore associations between the quality of prisoner fathers’ family relationships and subsequent resettlement.

Patterns of father- child contact in Prison

– significant proportions received no letters (30%) telephone calls (21%) or visits (47%) from child

– ‘‘I’ve never really seen her or been a father with her and it’s not helped me being in here ‘cos there’s nothing I can do about it. They look at me as a criminal; they don’t want me to have anything to do with my daughter where I think really I’ve got a right to be a father.”

Patterns of father- child contact in Prison

– But for over a third of fathers (37%) monthly or weekly visits from the target child (with mother) were customary

Role of Couple relationship

• Over 80% fathers who have at least monthly contact with their target child also report a good or excellent current couple relationship.

• By contrast 70% who never saw their target child report a very poor/ poor or fair current couple relationship.

Role of Couple relationship

• Pre-prison couple status

Men who were married/ cohabiting with mother/ target child before more likely to rate couple relationship as good/excellent and have more contact.

‘[she’s a] very good mother to the children, and very good to me about bringing them up all the time – she’s under no obligation to do so’.

• Couple relationship is more critical than father- child relationship to promoting continuing prisoner father-child contact

Policy implications

• Resettlement initiatives need to be father and couple sensitive.

• Routinely record parental status, couple status and quality, family residence pattern on prison admission.

• The couple relationship could be central in promoting more responsible parenting from fathers and in reducing recidivism

Mark@actionpf.org.ukMark@actionpf.org.uk