Families of Prisoners: A Review of the Evidence

The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of the issues experienced by the children and families of prisoners and to provide a resource to be used in conjunction with other resources to inform the ‘Child and Family Impact Assessments’ and subsequent support proposed by the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill. This paper represents a summary of research into the needs and experiences of children and families of prisoners; the impact of imprisonment on family relationships; and the role that families play in supporting the reintegration process.