Jail Visits: Pros And Cons
He stands at a tiny window watching and waiting for her car to round the bend.
Any minute now.
The drive is long. Four hours, one way.
The little ones, five and seven now, will have on their Sunday best.
The boy’s hair’ll be slicked down. The girl’s in springy curls.
She, the red “company” dress.
She’s always looked stunning in red.
Heart pounding.
Can’t wait.
It’s been six long weeks.
They’re all he has.
No one else.
She’s late.
One hour, then two.
Other wives have come and gone.
Three hours and four pass.
He’d been up at dawn, ironing his best shirt and pants.
The creases sharp and crisp.
A shave and a fresh haircut.
Five hours.
No answer at home.
Only a message.
“The number you’ve reached is no longer…”
A broken heart.
Nothing new.
Story of his life.
No hope, no dream.
No where to go.
A change of clothing.
Bare skin.
Tattoos exposed.
Metal mirror.
Reflection.
Gang.
They’ll be there.
Always.
Prison life is tough. It’s definitely no picnic. Sure, some people choose to live the life and will always live the life, serving sentence after sentence. They live their lives on the streets committing crime after crime. Let’s face it, it’s the only life many people know. And when they end up in prison surrounded by career criminals, well, things only grow worse. Surround yourself with successful people and you, too, will become successful, right? Yes, that sentiment is also true among the bad guys. Being around successful criminals all the time will almost certainly spawn another success.
There are many programs to help inmates with various problems—AA, NA, religious services, anger management, psychiatric treatment, counseling, and even sports programs to help to relieve stress and anxiety. But, according to a study by researchers with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the thing that helps prisoners the most and, reduces the rate of recidivism, is a simple visit from a family member.
Researchers studied 1,6000 inmates for five years and learned that prisoners who received at least one personal visit at any time during their incarceration were 13 percent less likely to commit another felony and 25 percent less likely to end up back in prison on a parole violation. And the more visits they received the less likely their chances of re-offending after their release from prison.
There are problems, though, with prison visits. They’re not mandatory (you can’t force family members to visit), and prison and jail officials see visitation as a privilege, not as a tool to help reduce recidivism and to assist the inmate with a successful crime-free return to society. Instead, officials in some areas have reduced the number of visits as cost-saving measures. Others have even begun charging a visitation fee. That’s right, family members must pay Arizona prisons a one-time $25 fee to visit their incarcerated loved ones. Again, another barrier between prisoners and their families. It’s tough enough to pay the exorbitant charges for inmate phone calls ($4 – $5 per minute at some institutions). The visitation fees in Arizona are used to help pay for the maintenance of the prisons in their state. The families, the people who are already struggling to make ends meet, are the ones most likely to suffer the burden of paying these fees if they want to see their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, etc.
A return trip to prison by single parole violator will cost the state no less than $9,000. A visit by a family member doesn’t cost the state a penny, with the exception of salaries of the staff members who oversee the weekend visitations, something they’re already doing.
Prisons should encourage family visits. If not for the reduction in recidivism, then for their own peace of mind. I’m almost certain that prison violence is at it’s lowest point on visitation days, especially among those inmates who receive a visit from a family member.
Interestingly, though, inmates who receive visits from ex-spouses…well, those prisoners have a tendency to commit more crimes after their release.
What do you think, lock ’em and throw away the key? Or, do something positive and try to reduce the rate of recidivism?
*Reference HuffPo
I know that some people are going to totally disagree with this but here goes. I agree with charging the family members a fee to visit their loved ones. I worked in a prison for many years as a C.O and have seen the good and the bad when it comes to visiting day. There has to be more security on visiting day, which means overtime pay that the state has to cover. Some of the family visits are just as they appear, someone visiting their husband, wife, child, etc., because they love and miss them. On the flip side, a lot of those visits are not just because inmate 987654 is missing his mama. The true purpose of many visits is to smuggle illegal contraband.
On days that family visits the prison true in the morning and during the day the inmates are on their best behavior, but once the last visitor leaves is when the real problems begin. In fact, most contraband is brought in on visiting day.
For example, Inmate 987654’s mother visits him; she is 75 and appears to be the most innocent woman you have ever met (yes C.O’s are gullible). Later that night, after inmate 987654 returns to his cell he removes the object his sweet mother brought in to him. Now there is a problem, which means more work for all of the C.O’s – more man hours, etc., and that calls for overtime pay. Not to mention the safety of the C.0’s and the other inmates.
So I understand the $25.00 fee. Most people who visit one time for the purpose of slipping something in are not going to pay the fee, and the ones who do pay it, well, at least there will be some extra money to help pay the overtime cost.
People need to be told to support their family when they go into prison. They will only get better if there is someone to get better for. If their life is going to be the same, or worse when they get out, what is the point of changing when they get out, or what is the point of being out of prison at all?
I am totally disgusted with Arizona for charging families for visits. That should be illegal.
If state institutions need more money, how about those Senators drive themselves, in their own cars, instead of riding in limousines. How about they pay for their own lunches instead of having food catered to them? I bet I can find the funding!!
I agree with visits. I wonder the rate of visits from “fans” Sick, however some serial killers and rapist have them.
still working on my aim . . .