Prisoners' Families and Resettlement: A Critical Analysis

A number of recent research publications have reiterated the important role played by supportive family ties in facilitating the successful community re‐entry of ex‐prisoners and in preventing reoffending. This, in turn, has led to increased official recognition of the value of supporting the family ties of prisoners. However, although providing assistance to prisoners' families with reference to their role in preventing reoffending may be of value in pragmatically improving their often profoundly negative experiences, such an approach is problematic on a number of grounds. This article critically analyses the issues.