Families and Incarceration: An Ecological Approach

This article advances an ecological framework that emphasizes the context of parental incarceration and its impact on families and children. Particular attention is given to the disenfranchisement resulting from a family member's imprisonment, loss, and the experience of family visiting in corrections settings. Drawing from U. Bronfenbrenner's (1977) systemic approach to understanding development, the framework provides a basis from which to interpret existing scholarship as well as guide ecologically sensitive practice and policy.