08/20/17
Editor’s note: Here is a direct quote from a scholarly
dissertation that was studying prison issues: from Prison Experiences, Social Ties,
and Inmate Behavior: Examining Visitation and Its Effects on Incarceration and
Reentry Outcomes by Joshua C. Cochran, FSU Graduate School, 2013
Inmate visitation merits special
attention for several reasons. Inmates have legal rights to visitation;
visitation may mitigate the potential harmful effects of social isolation and
improve inmate behavior and reentry outcomes; and visitation might provide one
way to cost-effectively achieve these benefits
… Indeed, with few exceptions,
visitation provides the only opportunity for inmates to have direct contact
with family, friends, and community members. In so doing, it affords inmates
some ability to preserve, develop, or sustain ties to social networks outside
of prison, and to have sources of social capital on which to draw during and
after incarceration.
In short, visitation in prison is very, very important to
all concerned. For Charlie and me, it is our very life-blood. Opportunities for
visitation are already in short supply and often curtailed; therefore, we
cherish every visit we get. So it was with considerable heartache that on
Thursday, August 17, the prisoners were informed by the warden that visitation
for this weekend was cancelled.
From the FDC web site: “The
Florida Department of Corrections announced the cancellation of weekend
visitation at all Institutions for Saturday, August 19. and Sunday, August
20…In response to credible intelligence indication that small groups of inmates
at several institutions may attempt to disrupt FDC operations and impact safety
and security, FDC has, in an abundance of caution and in the best interest of
staff, inmate and public safety, cancelled all visitation…FDC looks forward to
resuming normal visitation as soon as possible…”
“Official directive” has struck again, and Charlie and I
lose yet another 10+ hours of
face-to-face direct contact “to preserve, develop, or[and] sustain [our]
ties…” It’s for sure the FDC will not add any visitation days in
compensation. Visitation is not as meaningful to them.
Charlie and I will make the best of it and strain the phone
lines.
Next time you are face-to-face with the ones you love, tell
them you love them. It is a moment to cherish.
Libby
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