Table 14 Family communication

A number of papers also described finding ways for families and prisons to communicate by initially seeking permission from prisoners to talk to their families (Brown, 2016; du Toit & Ng 2022; Welsh Government and Ministry of Justice, 2011), by involving family in assessments, planning and support (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2017; Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, 2016; Maschi et al., 2012) and helping with the disclosure of diagnoses to prisoners (Feczko, 2014; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2017; Maschi et al., 2012; Wilson & Barboza, 2010). The use of a charity or social worker as a liaison between families and the prisons was proposed, as a means of reporting concerns (Dillon et al., 2019; Jennings, 2009; Patterson et al., 2016; Treacy et al., 2019; Her Majesty's Prison & Probation Service, 2018), and of providing support to families (Gaston, 2018; Maschi et al., 2012; Peacock et al., 2018; Treacy et al., 2019). However, some prisons did not support prisoners to maintain family contact, when it would be relatively simple to do so (Treacy et al., 2019; Correctional Investigator Canada, 2019; Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, 2016; Mistry & Muhammad, 2015). One paper suggested that prisons may lack awareness of support available for families (Hamada, 2015), and another that privacy regulations may preclude family involvement (Feczko, 2014). It was also recommended that distance from family be considered when transferring prisoners (Her Majesty's Prison & Probation Service, 2018)