Criminal Incarceration Dividing the Ties that Bind: Black Men and Their Families

Source: (2001) Journal of African American Men. 6(1):87-102.

Of the many deprivations experienced by people who are incarcerated, the authors of this essay focus on the loss of liberty. Deprivation of liberty is a part of the restrictions enforced on inmates within the prison. Yet more importantly, the authors write, loss of liberty means an inmate’s being cut off from family, relatives, and friends on the outside. Likewise, incarceration means that family, relatives, and friends are divided from the inmate. Criminal incarceration thus adversely affects both the offender and the inmate’s family. With all of this in mind, the authors examine the effects of incarceration on inmates and families. They do so in the context of a restorative justice model, with the emphasis on restoring the relationship between the black male offender, his family, and the community.