The Effects of Incarceration

Social Problems

Incarceration can be devastating on everybody’s lives. Not only it affects the person that is actually in jail, but it affects his or her loved ones. First, it puts a strain on the family finances once a family member is incarcerated. Second, it causes problems in relationships, whether it is girlfriend or wife. Third, it causes emotional strain, especially if he or she has a long time to serve.

According to Macionis, the incarceration rate in 2008 for the United States was 762 people for every 100,000 in the population and among all the nations of the world, this country has the highest share of its people in prison. Having a loved one incarcerated can be very strenuous on the family’s finances. Learning from personal experience, it can almost put one in bankruptcy. The cost of phone calls is very expensive. It can almost get up into the hundreds of dollars per month. The person that’s incarcerated never considers the financial stain that it has on the family.

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The only thing that is considered is being in contact with his or her family, no matter what the cost maybe. The family is also expected to travel great distances in some cases, which can also become a problem. According to Families Left Behind article, the average distance for an incarcerated family member is 100 miles for men and 160 miles for women. With the cost of gas steadily rising, it would be almost impossible to constantly make regular visits. The single parent is also left to pay all the family bills that were once being paid by both parties.

Having an incarcerated loved one also causes problems with his or her relationship. Trust issues begin to develop and this puts a strain on both parties involved. If one is married, this could possibly lead to divorce because eventually the stress will be so great that the one involved will no longer want to go through with this particular life and would want to move on without the stress of having an incarcerated partner. Married men in prison reach the national 50% divorce rate much more quickly than do men in the general population.

It is difficult to carry out intimate relationships from prison due to limited contact and communication. Lastly, emotions begin to come into play. If the loved one has been incarcerated for a long period of time, the emotional part of their relationship wears down. The “prison mask” is a common syndrome that develops; the mask is the emotional flatness men take on when they suppress emotions and withdraw from healthy social interactions. To survive in an often brutal environment, prisoners may develop hyper-masculinity, which glorifies force and domination in relations with others.

Finally, many prisoners are plagued by feelings of low self-worth and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (Haney, 2001). All of these psychological changes, which may be necessary for survival in the prison environment, can impede intimate relationships. In conclusion, incarceration can be tough on anyone who’s involved. It puts a strain on finances, relationships, and emotions. It’s a very tough road to go through and some make it through it and others don’t. The one who really takes a hard hit from all this are the children that’s involved.

They have to learn to deal with the fact that they have a parent that’s incarcerated. The parent that’s left behind has to deal with all of the emotional ups and downs of the children and the financial burdens of the household. He or she has to play both parenting roles, which causes a lot of emotional wear and tear on their psychological being. Therefore, this causes resentment towards the absent parent and once this happens the family that once was, no longer exists. Reference Page Bibliography (n. d. ). The Effects Of Incarceration on Intimate Relationships. Macionis, J. J. (2010).

The Hidden Coat Of Incarceration and Reentry.  The incarceration rate in 2008 for the United States was 762 people for every 100,000 in the population and among all the nations of the world, this country has the highest share of its people in prison  . Married men in prison reach the national 50% divorce rate much more quickly than do men in the general population. It is difficult to carry out intimate relationships from prison due to limited contact and communication. The “prison mask” is a common syndrome that develops; the mask is the emotional flatness men take on when they suppress emotions and withdraw from healthy social interactions. To survive in an often brutal environment, prisoners may develop hyper-masculinity, which glorifies force and domination in relations with others. Finally, many prisoners are plagued by feelings of low self-worth and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (Haney, 2001). All of these psychological changes, which may be necessary for survival in the prison environment, can impede intimate relationships.

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