Inmate Social Ties and the Transition to Society

TLDR

Despite growing scholarly and policy focus on prisoner reentry, key determinants of successful transition remain unclear, though crime theories and evidence highlight the role of social ties. The study investigates whether inmate visitation can reduce recidivism. Using Florida Department of Corrections data, the authors examined visitation patterns—presence, frequency, recency, and visitor type—and assessed their impact on recidivism across age, sex, race, offense type, and prior incarceration. Results show that visitation lowers and delays recidivism, with implications for theory, research, and policy.

Abstract

Despite increased scholarly and policy attention to prisoner reentry, much remains unknown about the factors that contribute to a successful transition from prison to society. The authors focused on a neglected but potentially critical factor, inmate visitation, that may reduce recidivism. The expectation of such an effect stems from prominent crime theories and an increasing body of work that stresses the importance of social ties to the reentry process. Using data from the Florida Department of Corrections, the authors tested hypotheses about the effects of visitation on recidivism. The measures of visitation included whether any visits occurred, the frequency and recency of visitation, and the type of visitor received (e.g., family member, friend). The authors also examined whether visitation effects varied by age, sex, race, type of instant offense, and prior incarceration. The findings indicate that visitation reduces and delays recidivism. Their implications for theory, research, and policy are discussed.