Emma is our casework assistant and is currently working for Prisoners Abroad on a placement year between her second and third years of study for a Criminology degree. You can read her staff story here. Emma primarily supports our overseas work, but last year was given the opportunity to attend a family support group focused on long-term imprisonment, which she has written about below.

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Towards the end of 2024, I was given the opportunity to attend a family support group meeting. It was an eye-opening experience that gave me an even better understanding of the importance of the support Prisoners Abroad can offer to people affected by imprisonment.

This particular group was hosted online and was specifically for those people who have a relative facing long-term imprisonment. Many of our family support groups discuss topics such as preparation for release and the logistics of prisoner transfers, which can be very hard to listen to for those family members who know they will not see their relative for many years - and in some cases, sadly never again. Providing a dedicated space for this group to talk about their frustrations, challenges and difficulties is therefore an important part of our family support work.

In the last year, we have held 31 family support groups, ranging from in-person meetings at 8 locations across the country, 4 themed groups on long-term imprisonment, preparation for release, and prisoner transfers, and 7 country-specific groups focused on Spain, Australia, Thailand, the UAE, the USA and Canada. 

The long-term imprisonment group provides an invaluable space to take freely amongst others who understand the nuances of the situation. Many people tell us that they find it difficult to approach the subject with friends or neighbors, as they are apprehensive of the questions they might get asked when the information is shared, and fear judgment. It was apparent how these meetings gives people the opportunity to talk knowing that they won’t be asked about the specifics of their relative’s imprisonment and I saw firsthand just how much the family members taking part appreciated this. It gave them an opportunity to share the complications and compare experiences, and it was very heartwarming to see the supportive nature that blossomed within the group as the meeting progressed.

Some family members expressed difficulties in communicating with their relative in prison and were immediately met by others trying to give practical advice based on what they had found useful in own their situation - asking them if they had tried this method or that method. It was suggested that they could form a group to design birthday and Christmas cards to send to relatives in prison, as it was clear that most family members shared the common feeling that cards found in street shops do not always feel appropriate to send.

59% of those we are currently supporting overseas (for those who we hold data on sentence length) have been sentenced to over 10 years in prison. 14% of these are sentenced to life imprisonment. 

Taking part in this family support group meeting was very insightful and gave me firsthand experience of how important our family support is. Each experience was undoubtedly different, as every situation was influenced by the individual circumstances of the prisoner, their family, and the location of the imprisonment, amongst other things, but it was clear that these meetings offer people the invaluable opportunity to share their story with others who can resonate in a non-judgemental setting. 

As the brother of someone imprisoned in the USA wrote:

As families of those in custody in a distant land we are often left with a maelstrom of conflicting emotions that might include guilt, anger, shame and confusion. The opportunity to unpick and share those emotions with others in a similar position is invaluable.

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Creating a safe, non-judgemental space for shared experiences.

Prisoners Abroad helps family members affected by a loved one’s imprisonment by providing one to one support as well as hosting family support groups around the country and arranging overseas visits.

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