Prison ombudsman urges greater support for family contact

Nigel Newcomen wants prisons to do more to support contact between prisoners and their families after receiving a series of complaints from inmates about issues linked to maintaining contact with their loved ones.

In his Learning Lessons Bulletin: Maintaining Family Ties report, Newcomen highlights the particular need for prisoners to receive visits from their families, citing the importance of playing with their children.

It states: “Family days are more flexible, and allow for a greater level of contact – such as a prisoner being able to play with their children or prepare and eat meals together.

“Such contact can be particularly important in helping maintain close relationships with those who live considerable distances from the prison or who, through childcare responsibilities or age and infirmity, struggle to visit regularly.”

Newcomen said maintaining family contact during imprisonment helps reduce reoffending and supports prisoners’ rehabilitation upon release.

As a result, he said it is important that prison staff process applications for family contact in a timely manner, while ensuring they strike a balance between addressing the needs of the prisoner and managing the risk they pose to others.

He said: “Maintaining family contact while in prison also reduces isolation and the pain of imprisonment for both prisoners and families.

“However, prison staff must balance the potential benefits of maintaining family ties against their fundamental responsibility for ensuring security and public safety.

“This balance is not always easy to achieve, nor do staff always get it right.”