How do Healthy Relationships in Prison Correlate to Healthy Relationships Once Released?

(In-Person) Poster Presentation

Study purpose: Prison culture has shown an increased occurrence of withdrawal by inmates which is causing a lack of healthy prosocial interactions between prisoners. Opportunities to foster quality relationships are limited; therefore, positive personal relationships may not have the chance to flourish. That is important because relationships in prison may help prisoners build essential skills that will benefit their relationships once released. The current study seeks to examine the correlation between quality relationships in prison on the quality and quantity of relationships once released from prison.

Study design: Utilizing data from the Life Study, a dataset consisting of 411 individuals reentering their communities after incarceration, we used Pearson’s correlation to determine the relationship between having a loved one or close relationship in prison with having close loving relationships after release.

Findings: Findings indicated no correlation between having quality relationships in prison with quality or quantity of relationships once released from prison

Conclusion: Understanding the effects and benefits of positive relationships in prison is necessary to encourage the widespread implementation of prison policies that can facilitate these positive relationships. Current results from the Life-Study data show no correlation between having strong and close relationships with other inmates while in prison, with the quality or quantity of relationships maintained once released from prison.