UNI NEWS SERVICES – The University of Northern Iowa welcomes the community to participate in a virtual seminar that will address some of the current barriers surrounding family visitations within the American prison system.

The seminar, taking place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, will be led by Assistant Professor of Criminology Alison Cox and explore her recent research on the topic. 

Prisoner families are often overlooked in the age of mass incarceration, although family visits are known to improve institutional adjustment and decrease the likelihood inmates will recidivate post-release. Families and children also benefit from visiting incarcerated relatives by maintaining family connections and allowing prisoners a part in their children’s lives. 

This seminar will bring the voices of family members into current prison debates and provide suggestions for programming that would encourage visitation and family connectedness. It is a part of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology’s Diversity Colloquium series, sponsored by the department and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Registration is required: http://bit.ly/DiversityColloquiumFeb2021.