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Prisons, Families, and the 'Ripple Effect'

This discussion examines the challenges encountered by families of offenders and considers the emotional, social and financial cost that arises as a result of a family member's incarceration. Attention is drawn to the dynamics of intergenerational criminality. The role played by supportive families in the process of reintegration and the prevention of recidivism is highlighted, and significantly, the need for the state to acknowledge this key function. The paper is premised on the belief that prisons have a divisive effect upon families, that there is a need to minimize the use of imprisonment, which emphasizes a punitive treatment of offenders (and by extension, their families), and that the benefits of restorative justice will assist in curbing the 'ripple effect' of crime.