Spatial Distance as a Barrier to Visitation for Incarcerated Youth and Why Families Overcome It

For juveniles in residential facilities, visits from family can be quite important. But juveniles are routinely confined far from home, and travel distance can deter many families from visiting. In the current study, we examined the conditions under which families overcome distance as a barrier to visitation. We used data on juveniles who completed residential placement in Florida (N = 2,345) and negative case analysis to explore whether household income, parent-child closeness, and family support affected the likelihood that youth were visited despite being far from home. Results indicated that, although distance reduced the likelihood of visitation, many juveniles were still visited at great distances from home. Additionally, families with higher household incomes and greater parent-child closeness were more likely to travel substantial distances to visit. These findings suggest that policies aimed at increasing parent-child closeness and access to financial resources could maximize visitation for confined youth.

Automated summary

Family visits are crucial for juveniles in residential facilities. Although distance can be a barrier, many juveniles still receive visits from their families even when far from home. Families with higher incomes and closer parent-child relationships are more likely to make long-distance trips for visitation.