What is the impact of a loved one’s incarceration?
Prisons also deprive relatives of their freedom. Institutional violence, isolation, limited access to information… Families find collective ways to cope with the prison system.
Prison Insider produced, in collaboration with Acifad (Argentina), Amparar (Brazil), Relais Famille (Canada), OIP-SF (France), Documenta (Mexico) and POPS (United Kingdom), a six-episode docuseries.
— Available on October 23 on YouTube
— Subtitles in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish
This docuseries was produced thanks to the financial support of Porticus.
Find out more about the project Connecting Stories Beyond Bars.
Argentina
ACiFaD
Brazil
Amparar
Canada
Relais Famille
France
OIP-SF
Mexico
Documenta
United Kingdom
POPS
Episodes
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The power of the group (1/6)
Testimonial
America
Europe
Access to legal rights
Torture
Violence
Social ties
Hearing the voices of relatives of incarcerated people in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico and the UK reveals one key finding: the group brings enough strength to build resistance. Coming together offers a space for dialogue, mutual support, and the ability to build concrete responses to d…
The echo of violence (2/6)
Testimonial
America
Europe
Access to legal rights
Mental health
Violence
Social ties
How are the lives of relatives affected when someone they love is deprived of liberty? Feelings of powerlessness, dehumanisation, daily life disruption — prison affects not only the incarcerated people but also, often invisibly, those left on the outside.
The cost of incarceration (3/6)
Testimonial
America
Europe
Justice
Mental health
Material conditions
Social ties
Rehabilitation
The State deprives people of their freedom and ignores everything else. It is the relatives — most often women — who bear the costs of imprisonment and support those in prison, while trying to keep life going outside.
The mechanics of punishment (5/6)
Testimonial
America
Europe
Minors
Access to legal rights
Justice
Violence
Social ties
Alternatives
Prison is not only a place of punishment; it is also a reflection of social divides. Rather than repairing damage, it accentuates inequalities and perpetuates discrimination. To combat this, associations of relatives are establishing themselves as spaces of resistance.
From experience to action (6/6)
Testimonial
America
Europe
Access to legal rights
Justice
Social ties
The prison system deprives and marginalises, but resignation does not prevail. Relatives take action and demand justice to build a system respectful of human rights.