Family Introduction
Mostly unseen and forgotten, families of prisoners serve the 'second sentence'. When a member is sent to prison, the families suffer emotionally and materially. Resources gathered from around the world reveal how these families can be served and supported.
Family
Mostly unseen and forgotten, families of prisoners serve the 'second sentence'. When a member is sent to prison, the families suffer emotionally and materially. Resources gathered from around the world reveal how these families can be served and supported.
Family related matters are very important to prisoners, even more when they know they have left at home their loved ones who will be facing problems and shortages.
Showing concern about spouses and children will cause a positive effect on offenders. Needless to say that the family members will benefit as well from any kind of support they can receive from your prison ministry.
Providing spiritual, physical, emotional and material support is a way of demonstrating the love of God. Different kind of programmes can be developed to meet the needs of the families of prisoners such as educational programmes, health care campaigns, Christmas events, mentoring, and others can be found here.
Children
Children are vulnerable victims when a parent is sent to prison. Often confused, sometimes abandoned, here is an opportunity for the church to minister to these little ones. Information, materials and projects, such as Angel Tree, show how to make appropriate and caring responses to the needs of prisoners' children.
Support
Emotional and material deprivation are two obvious impacts on the family of a prisoner. Loneliness and stigmatisation are perhaps less obvious but equally debilitating for the family. Christians have an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ to these hurting, mostly forgotten, people.
Education
Lack of education is recognised as a criminogenic factor. The children of prisoners are often further disadvantaged by having to drop out of any education to help support the family. The spouse on the outside may not have the skills to earn sufficient to support the family. Assisting a child's engagement in education, and/or providing vocational skill training for a prisoner's spouse builds a family's capacity to engage with the future.
