How Incarceration Policy Affects Relationships

The United States incarcerates over a million people every year, and 45% of Americans have had an incarcerated loved one. This paper leverages research from the field of relationship science to analyze how policies surrounding incarceration affect people's relationships. We consider implications of policy during the pre-incarceration, incarceration, and reentry periods for the psychology of relationships among couples and families impacted by the justice system. Many policies in place make it more difficult for people to maintain strong close relationships, and policies that would support those relationships are often lacking. Despite these challenges, people can and do maintain relationships throughout this system, and those with close relationships experience greater well-being and are at lower risk for recidivism. Public policies that better support the close relationships of people involved in the criminal justice system would strengthen families and communities by reducing recidivism.