Scholarly record
ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY SOCIAL WORKERS TO FAMILIES OF CONVICTED PERSONS
Abstract
The article analyses the importance, content and impact of social workers' assistance to families of convicted persons on family well-being, especially when the family faces emotional, social, economic and interpersonal challenges during the period of imprisonment. The main forms of assistance are discussed – informational, emotional, mediation and reintegration – and their significance in ensuring family functioning and strengthening internal resources. The theoretical basis is the model of family systems, crisis management and social support, which helps to explain the changes and risk factors caused by imprisonment. Qualitative analysis allows us to state that social workers' assistance to families of convicted persons is complex, multi-layered and necessary for family well-being. Informational and administrative support helps the family to orient itself, psychosocial support strengthens emotional stability, and mediation ensures the effectiveness of cooperation. Reintegration planning helps ensure that the convict returns to a prepared, supportive and safe environment. This essentially reduces the risk of recidivism and contributes to the creation of a safer society. The results of the study reveal that social workers are essential participants in providing assistance and maintaining family ties, helping to reduce social exclusion and create conditions for a smoother reintegration of convicts. The article provides recommendations for social work practice, emphasising the need for interdisciplinary cooperation, consistent assistance and individualised interventions. Qualitative research revealed that the assistance provided by social workers to the families of convicts is essential for maintaining their emotional and social well-being. Psychosocial and informational support are the two most important forms of assistance that help families cope with the consequences of imprisonment. The mediation function ensures smooth communication between institutions and the family, reducing anxiety and legal misunderstandings. Reintegration planning is essential for the success of the convict's return to the family. Systemic challenges indicate the need to strengthen interagency cooperation and social worker resources.
Publication Impact Profile
Publication details
References14
Arditti, J. A. Parental incarceration and the family: Psychological and social effects of imprisonment on children, parents, and caregivers. In Parental incarceration and the family. New York University Press. 2012.
Bowen, M. Family therapy in clinical practice. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.1978.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative research in sport, exercise and health, 11(4), p. 589-597. 2019.
Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological bulletin, 98(2), 310. 1985.
Comfort, M., Doing time together: Love and family in the shadow of the prison. University of Chicago Press. 2008.
Condry, R., & Smith, P. S. (Eds.), Prisons, punishment, and the family: Towards a new sociology of punishment? Oxford University Press. 2018.
Foster, H., & Hagan, J., The mass incarceration of parents and the intergenerational transmission of punishment. Social Science Research, 51. 2015.
Mignon, S. I., & Ransford, P. Mothers in Prison: Maintaining connections with children. Social Work in Public Health, 27(1-2), 69-88. 2012.
Minson, S., Who Cares? Analysing the place of children in maternal sentencing decisions in England and Wales DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford p.101-105.2017.
Murray, J., & Farrington, D. P., The effects of parental imprisonment on children. Crime and justice, 37(1), 133-206. 2008.
Perkins, D. D., & Zimmerman, M. A., Empowerment theory, research, and application. American journal of community psychology, 23(5), 569-579. 1995.
Visher, C. A., & Travis, J., Life on the outside: Returning home after incarceration. The Prison Journal, 91(3_suppl), 102S-119S. 2011.
Visher, C. A., & Travis, J., Transitions from prison to community: Understanding individual pathways. Annual review of sociology, 29(1), 89-113. 2003.
Travis, J., & Waul, M. (Eds.), Prisoners once removed: The impact of incarceration and reentry on children, families, and communities. The Urban Institute. 2003.
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.