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An Absent Presence: Visitor Narratives of Journeys and Support for Prisoners During Imprisonment
Author(s) -
HOLLIGAN CHRIS
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the howard journal of crime and justice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.462
H-Index - 7
eISSN - 2059-1101
pISSN - 2059-1098
DOI - 10.1111/hojo.12153
Subject(s) - imprisonment , panacea (medicine) , visitor pattern , prison , narrative , welfare , criminology , sociology , political science , law , medicine , computer science , art , literature , programming language , alternative medicine , pathology
The system of allocation of prisoners to prisons in Scotland results in the incarceration of prisoners at significant distance from their homes, creating an obstacle to the maintenance of family ties. Using unpublished statistical and primary research data collected with visitors of prisoners during 2014, this qualitative study reports an examination of peregrinations designed to provide prisoner support. More specifically, it converges upon perceptions of why, in the minds of visitors, these journeys are consequential for sustaining the welfare of their loved ones, and notes that prison authorities over‐represent visitation as a panacea for alleviating the pains of imprisonment.