Striving for a ‘good’ family visit: the facilitative role of a prison visitors’ centre

Purpose: This paper explores the conditions that create a ‘good’ prison visit, focusing on the role that a dedicated third-sector run prison visitors’ centre plays in creating a supportive environment. Design: This paper draws on a synthesis of empirical data gathering conducted over a decade at a voluntary sector managed prison visitors’ centre based at a male prison in Northern England. The paper draws specifically on qualitative data gathered through four independent evaluations of the centre over a ten-year period. Findings: An important point to emerge from the research is the unwavering importance of the prison visit in the life, well-being and regime of a prisoner. Prison visitors’ centre are shown to be an important part of creating positive visits experiences offering a space for composure and for support for families. Originality: Many voluntary sector organisations are unable to commission large research and evaluation studies, but are often able to fund smaller pieces of work. Pooling qualitative evidence from smaller studies is a viable way to potentially strengthen commissioning decisions in this sector.