Fathering behind Bars in English Prisons: Imprisoned Fathers' Identity and Contact with Their Children

Abstract

Fathers who live apart from their children have been investigated mainly through the lens of separation, divorce, and repartnering. With the growing prison population in many western countries, fathering from prison is emerging as a further significant context in which to understand the contemporary experience of fathers in families. This paper contributes to the developing research evidence about the meanings and experiences of fathering while in prison by presenting new data from a pilot study of 43 men serving sentences in English prisons. Using an ecological framework, the authors propose that the prison context overwhelms “responsible” or “active” fathering for prisoners and that mothers are central figures in the facilitation of father-child visitation contact.