Understanding the Impact of the Incarcerated and Their Families
By : Dana Ma
Not only does the incarceration of individuals who use drugs affect them, it also affects their families and the relationships and bonds they have.
Impact on Families
The individuals who become incarcerated suffer from more than being confined and a lack of socializing, they suffer from a strained relationship with their families. The article The Structures of the Juvenile Prison Constructing the Inmate Father by Anne M Nurse provides a lot of research and data backing up the information regarding the impact on families. When someone is sentenced to prison, there is no telling whether they get put into a prison nearby or far away. This creates a lot of issues when it comes to visiting. Transportation can be a huge issue and some may not have the luxury of being able to come visit as often as they like. If transportation isn’t an option there are also phone calls. However, there are occasions where there will be restrictions where some family members such as the children who do not have access. The article The Structures of the Juvenile Prison Constructing the Inmate Father by Anne M Nurse shows studies where the personalities of the incarcerated individual changes over time and this is a major factor as to why relationships between families become present.
Effects of Incarceration
The film The House I Live In does a great job at explaining the cause and effects of incarceration. They tell stories that can really showcase how much incarceration affects an individual. The United States is known to have one of the highest incarceration rates. This is due to the U.S spending more money on prisons, guards, officers, and judges. This makes the U.S look like they are tough on crime but in reality, many individuals are being incarcerated due to nonviolent drug offenses and are forced to serve that sentence. Even if a judge believes that they do not deserve that sentence, there is a mandatory minimum sentence that makes it illegal for a judge to reduce the sentencing. Many of those who have been wrongfully incarcerated should not have been put in that situation in the first place. It demonstrates the corruption within the criminal justice system. After serving years of punishment, they come out to the world with weakened family ties, little to no money, a record that prevents them from finding housing or jobs, and even healthcare, which should be a basic human right. Many are stripped from everything and it has gone to a point where it is inhumane. There should be rights that allow the previously incarcerated to receive help until they are able to get on their feet. We shouldn’t be judging an individual as they could be wrongfully convicted and even struggling to get back on their feet to do better.
