Cheap Prison Calls:
How Regular Contact Can Help To Rehabilitate Prisoners

Maintaining regular contact with family, friends, and supportive networks is crucial for the successful rehabilitation of prisoners. In many cases, the key to reducing reoffending rates and helping inmates reintegrate into society lies not just within the prison walls but in the relationships they maintain while incarcerated. This article explores the profound impact that regular contact has on prisoner rehabilitation, including how it helps with emotional well-being, social connections, mental health, and the overall journey toward reintegration.

Maintaining contact with a inmate in prison

Prison can be an isolating experience for many inmates, leading to feelings of loneliness, alienation, and disconnection from the outside world. For many, maintaining contact with loved ones becomes a lifeline that fosters hope and purpose. Studies have shown that prisoners who maintain regular contact with family and friends are more likely to reintegrate successfully into society upon their release, as they benefit from ongoing emotional support and reassurance that they remain part of a wider community.

Emotional Support and Stability
Having a strong emotional connection with family and friends offers prisoners a sense of stability in an otherwise challenging environment. Regular contact, whether through phone calls, visits, or letters, provides inmates with a support network that reassures them they are not forgotten. This contact helps to buffer the negative effects of isolation, reduces anxiety, and can alleviate the stress associated with incarceration.

A Bridge to the Outside World
Regular communication acts as a bridge between the prisoner and the outside world, keeping them in touch with the changes happening outside the prison walls. Prisoners who maintain relationships with people outside are often more motivated to adjust positively to life after prison. They are reminded of the responsibilities, relationships, and opportunities waiting for them upon release, giving them a reason to continue working towards rehabilitation.

Reducing the risk of reoffending

Reducing recidivism (reoffending) is one of the primary goals of rehabilitation. Research consistently shows that prisoners who maintain regular contact with their families are less likely to reoffend. This connection serves as a stabilizing factor in their lives, reinforcing positive behavior and encouraging long-term change.

Family As A Supportive Anchor
When prisoners know they have family members or close friends to return to, they are more likely to adopt behaviors that reduce the risk of reoffending. A stable family relationship offers structure, emotional support, and a sense of belonging, which are crucial elements for reintegration into society. Families can also help guide former prisoners toward education, employment, or therapy, further reducing the likelihood of recidivism.

Motivation For Self-Improvement
Having regular contact with loved ones can serve as a powerful motivator for prisoners to engage in rehabilitation programs. Whether it’s educational courses, vocational training, or behavioral therapy, the desire to improve for the sake of one’s family can drive prisoners to make meaningful changes. They might be encouraged by family members to set goals, pursue positive activities, or stay away from negative influences, all of which are important for reducing the risk of reoffending.

Supporting mental health or well-being

Prisoners are more likely than the general population to suffer from mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Regular contact with loved ones can be a crucial tool in maintaining mental health and providing the emotional support needed to cope with the hardships of incarceration.

Tackling Isolation and Loneliness
Loneliness and isolation are common feelings in prison, particularly for those serving long sentences or those who have been cut off from their social networks. Regular contact from family and friends helps combat these feelings by offering prisoners a sense of connection to the outside world. Even a simple letter or phone call can lift a prisoner’s spirits and reduce feelings of isolation, which can contribute to mental health challenges.

Improving Emotional Resilience
Emotional resilience is the ability to cope with stress and adversity, and maintaining relationships with family members can help prisoners develop this resilience. Knowing they have people who care about them on the outside can offer a sense of security and motivation. Family visits and calls remind prisoners of their worth and the fact that their incarceration is not the end of their life story.

Access To Mental Health Support
In some cases, families and friends play a direct role in ensuring that a prisoner receives appropriate mental health support. They may advocate for better mental health care, alert prison staff to potential issues, or encourage the prisoner to seek help. In this way, maintaining contact not only supports the prisoner emotionally but also ensures they receive necessary mental health services during their time in prison.

Strengthening family ties

The importance of family ties cannot be understated when discussing prisoner rehabilitation. Strong family relationships serve as a stabilizing force for many prisoners, especially those who have dependents. Rebuilding and maintaining these relationships during imprisonment can have a lasting impact on both the inmate and their loved ones.

Rebuilding Trust and Relationships
Incarceration often strains family relationships, leading to feelings of mistrust, anger, and disappointment. Regular contact provides an opportunity for prisoners to rebuild these relationships by communicating openly, expressing remorse, and showing a commitment to change. Consistent contact gives both the prisoner and their family the chance to repair and strengthen bonds that may have been damaged by the crime or the subsequent imprisonment.

The Impact On Children
When a parent is incarcerated, children are often deeply affected by the loss of daily interaction. Regular contact can help lessen the negative impact on children, providing them with reassurance that their parent still cares for them. For the incarcerated parent, maintaining contact with their children offers motivation to work toward rehabilitation. In many cases, the desire to reunite with their children upon release can drive a prisoner to engage more actively in rehabilitation programs and take steps toward a more positive future.

Visits and communication

Prison visits, letters, and phone calls all play a significant role in maintaining regular contact between prisoners and their loved ones. Each form of communication offers a different opportunity for connection and has its own unique benefits.

Prison Visits
Prison visits provide the most direct and personal way for prisoners to maintain contact with their families and friends. Face-to-face interaction allows for meaningful conversations, emotional connections, and the chance to reaffirm bonds that may be strained by the distance of incarceration. Regular visits also allow families to see the progress the prisoner is making and provide direct encouragement for their rehabilitation efforts.However, not all prisoners receive regular visits due to logistical challenges, such as the distance between the prison and the family’s home, travel costs, or the emotional toll of prison visits. In these cases, phone calls and letters become even more crucial for maintaining regular contact.

Phone Calls
For many prisoners, phone calls are the most frequent form of contact with loved ones. Regular phone conversations offer ongoing support and help to maintain relationships despite the barriers of physical distance. Phone calls allow prisoners to hear the voices of their loved ones, share updates, and discuss their progress toward rehabilitation.The availability of affordable prison phone services is essential for ensuring that prisoners can maintain regular contact. The cost of phone calls from prison can sometimes be prohibitive for both the prisoner and their family, limiting the frequency of communication. Initiatives to reduce the cost of prison calls have been introduced to address this issue, as staying connected plays such a vital role in rehabilitation.

Letters and emails

Letters provide a more reflective and permanent form of communication. Prisoners can take their time to write about their experiences, express their feelings, and share their plans for the future. For families, receiving a letter from a loved one in prison can offer reassurance that they are doing well and making progress in their rehabilitation journey.

In recent years, some prisons have introduced email services for prisoners, offering a quicker and more convenient way to communicate. However, traditional letters remain an important form of contact, particularly for prisoners who prefer the privacy and personal touch of handwritten communication.

Maintaining regular contact

While the benefits of regular contact are clear, maintaining communication between prisoners and their loved ones can sometimes be difficult. The challenges can include:

Distance and Travel Costs: For families living far from the prison, regular visits may not be feasible due to the financial cost or time commitment required for travel.

Phone Call Expenses: High costs of prison phone services can make regular calls unaffordable for some families, reducing the amount of contact a prisoner can have with their loved ones.

Emotional Strain: Visits and communication can be emotionally challenging for both the prisoner and their family. The pain of separation, combined with the prison environment, can make regular contact difficult for some families to maintain.Despite these challenges, regular contact remains one of the most effective tools for supporting prisoner rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. Providing accessible, affordable, and supportive ways for prisoners to stay in touch with their loved ones is crucial for helping them navigate the challenges of prison life and prepare for a successful reintegration into society.‍

The power of regular contact in prisoner rehabilitation cannot be overstated. It serves as a crucial emotional lifeline, reduces the risk of reoffending, supports mental health, and strengthens family relationships. Whether through phone calls, letters, or visits, maintaining connections with loved ones gives prisoners hope, stability, and a sense of purpose as they work toward their rehabilitation. As prison systems continue to evolve, ensuring that inmates have the opportunity to maintain regular, meaningful contact with their families should remain a priority for fostering successful reintegration into society.