Prison Inmates and Their Visitors

Abstract

The present study seeks to identify factors associated with inmates and their incarceration that differentially affect their frequency of receiving visits from specific types of visitors. Findings reveal both demographic and prison experience characteristics as significant predictors of the number of visits received from specific types of visitors. More highly educated, female, White, and currently or formerly married inmates received a greater number of visits from specific types of visitors, as did inmates with fewer prior incarcerations and who were not serving time for a drug, violent, and sex offense conviction. Limitations, directions for future research, and implications are discussed.