Paying the Price: A Project on the Financial Impact on Families of Imprisonment and Release
Families Outside, supported by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, launched new research last week (29th March), highlighting the devastating financial cost to families of supporting someone in prison and after release.
The research found that the burden of care and costs associated with supporting someone in prison in Scotland falls disproportionately on women, with many spending half their income or more in costs relating to their family member’s imprisonment. The families of people held in prison overwhelmingly live on very low incomes. The research found the impact of additional costs and loss of income means that families are often pushed into extreme food and fuel poverty. To keep families together and maintain contact, costs can include travel, staying in touch, postage, and paying money into personal accounts.
To help launch the report, an online event was held on the day, with over 120 people attending. During the hour and a half, attendees heard from Dr. Briege Nugent who talked through the findings of the research, they heard comments from our panel, which included two family members, on what they think needs to be changed/developed in order to improve things for families affected by imprisonment, they took part in breakout rooms where they were able discuss what the research meant for them and their work, and they heard closing remarks from members of Families Outside.
We were also delighted to have the research covered on STV news, with our CEO, Nancy Loucks, and a family member involved in the report, taking part in interviews.
To read the full research report, plus other associated work, click here.