Affective states of fathers in prison

This study profiles incarcerated fathers, a previously neglected subgroup of the prison population. The study also examines the current status of father-child relationships among prisoners, and how those relationships are related to anxiety, depression, somatic complaints, and fathers' concerns. The data were gathered by interviewing 302 incarcerated fathers in a New York State maximum-security prison. The findings show that some men with poor father-child relationships are more likely to be depressed and to experience an elevated level of concern about the father-child relationship. The paper reports on a unique data set and provides policy recommendations in this important area.