Communication gatekeepers and moral arbiters: mothers’ roles when fathers are incarcerated

Abstract

While studies show that quality communication during incarceration can contribute to better family relationships, the security and correctional requirements of prisons place heavy constraints on the form and frequency of contact. We interviewed families who have an incarcerated father in the Singapore Prison system to understand how they negotiate the various forms of constrained contact and the meaning they attached to such encounters. We found that families tend to use visitations as opportunities for play or bonding instead of serious talk for working through conflict or interpersonal issues, which require more frequent and extensive dialogue. Letter writing afforded an opportunity for the latter, but the screening of content hindered the sharing of intimate details and exploration of personal issues. Additionally, as mothers inherited an unexpected expansion of their roles—as primary caregiver, advocate for the incarcerated spouse, and sole breadwinner—they tended to become the de facto gatekeeper, not just of access and communication to the father, but also as a powerful arbiter of his moral standing. The study points to the significance of more family-centric communication policies in correctional settings.