https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3723-1094
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ABSTRACT
It is generally understood that visits to see incarcerated family members are good for children, families and those in prison. Much research has focused on the impact of prison visits on children and incarcerated mothers, ‘parents’ as a generic group or barriers to contact, while less attention has been paid to the effect of prison visits on incarcerated fathers. When COVID-19 spread across the globe in early 2020, prisons restricted in-person visits. In Australia, alternative forms of communication between prisoners and their families were utilised, including phone calls and video visits. Drawing on data from an online survey of caregivers of children with a family member in prison (n = 84), this paper specifically focuses on a sub-sample, reporting on imprisoned fathers (n = 70), describing and evaluating experiences with video visits. Most respondents reported that the father was not coping well with the lack of face-to-face contact, and almost two-thirds of respondents reported problems with keeping in contact after in-person visits were suspended. However, a small cohort of fathers were found to be coping well. These findings are explored, highlighting barriers to technology-facilitated visits, and point to a range of issues that need to be addressed for such visits to be beneficial.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1 We use the results from the 2018 AIHW survey, rather than the more recent survey, as this was closer in time to the data collection for this survey.
2 Following the successful trial in 2020, 28 correctional centres across NSW will receive computer tablets to support offender rehabilitation (see Chirgwin, Citation2022).
4 Percentages in table may not add up to 100%, due to rounding.
3 Since March 2020, all Australian states and territories had ‘lockdowns’ of varying lengths, during which face-to-face visits to people in prison were suspended.