The Challenges That Affect Family Support For Offenders
When a person gets onto the wrong side of the law, it is a matter that involves the family.
The closely intertwined lives of the immediate family members make it such that whatever happens to one, impacts the rest. Facing prosecution is no small matter, particularly where it involves a custodial sentence.
They manage criminal proceedings on his behalf when he is unable to do so effectively in his state of shock and confusion. They take up his duties that he can no longer fulfill when in custody, such as caring for dependents.
They keep up with prison policies which increase his chances of an early release as strong family support is an indicator of reduced recidivism.
Family members fulfil his needs on the inside and responsibilities on the outside.
In this bleak and dark period, family support is invaluable. Family members do not just offer moral support but assist in practical areas.
Yet as they strive towards being a pillar of support for their loved one, they are hard pressed in finding support for themselves.
With limited avenues available to families of offenders and where reaching out to their own networks run risks of criticisms and ostracism instead, these families tend to stay mired in their predicament.
As family members strive to remain as a pillar of support, they are hardly supported.
Just as the offender suffers from the criminal proceedings brought against him, so does his family. Still, the family members do what they can to alleviate his distress.
Family members carry the weight of the punishment upon themselves.
Furthermore the family has to cope with sudden and drastic changes - forced separation and broken attachments, increased roles and responsibilities, disrupted studies and work, reduced opportunities, increased financial obligations to name some.
These go on for prolonged durations, even extending beyond the end of the criminal sentence, thus subjecting family members to significant mental, emotional and physical toil.
This is not a sustainable situation for the family. Without meaningful interventions, their circumstances are bound to degenerate.
There are many negative outcomes for families under severe stress. Relationships can break down such as that of marital and parent-child. Family members become susceptible to mental and physical health challenges. The emotional disarray could push them towards committing violent acts against the self and the more vulnerable ones like children and women. They are prone towards self-medicating or adopting coping mechanisms leading to substance abuse and developing other addictions.
The ex-offender's reintegration journey is a burden on the family and does not bode well to its success.
Their loved one's prison release does not put an end to the family’s challenges. Rather it demands their ongoing support.
Readjusting to a world vastly different from within the prison walls that he has grown accustomed to is made more challenging due to heavy workforce stigmatisation. The limitations of rehabilitation programs do little to ease that. Unfortunately he is left reliant on the family members who are overstretched.
With multiple life stressors the family environment can no longer support its members and turn against them instead.
The likelihood of offending, reoffending and inter-generational offending increases in such settings.
Supporting a loved one in trouble should not come at great expense of the family members’ wellbeing.
Families of offenders, including the offenders would be much benefited through addressing the originating imbalance condition and prevention of challenges that incarceration brings about.
For most people who turn to crime, there is some irregularity present within their families.
Crimes are not all the same, even if they are illegal. Often, there is an underlying cause for significant emotional disturbance driving the offender to seek a form of release that is sadly, a criminal act.