Families Outside is hosting prison tours for MSPs as it aims to show the challenges that families face
A charity is urging the public to help send politicians to prison.
Families Outside, the only national charity in Scotland that works solely support families affected by imprisonment, is looking to get MSPs to visit prisons.
The charity has said one of the greatest challenges families affected by imprisonment face, especially children, is visiting the prison to see their loved ones.
Research shows that prisoners who remain in contact with their family are more likely to contribute to society on their release. Children who have a parent in prison are three times more likely to suffer significant mental ill health and inmates who have regular contact with their families are up to six times less likely to reoffend.
To help policy makers understand the challenges of prison visits Families Outside has invited all MSPs to use public transport to visit their local prison.
Prof Nancy Loucks, chief executive of Families Outside, said: “Public transport can be expensive, and distances can be huge. We’ve recently been working with a family in Shetland where the father often takes his daughter to HMP Grampian so that she can see her mother – that’s a 24-hour round trip. This is an extreme example, but even visits on the mainland can take significant time depending on where the family is in relation to the prison.
“Trying to complete these journeys with children can make them even more challenging. Anyone who has children of their own will have faced similar experiences, but instead of ending up at a zoo or a theme park, you end up at prison security where you, and the rest of your family, are then searched and monitored.”
Families Outside has planned the campaign to coincide with the 2018 Year of the Young People and will be taking MSPs on a tour of the prison, the visitor services, and the family support initiatives. In this way MSPs can see for themselves the challenges that families face as well as the fantastic work can be implemented to support them.
The charity is encouraging members of the public to write to their MSP to encourage them to visit a prison.
