Visitation patterns and post-release offending: Exploring variations in the timing, rate, and consistency of prison visits

Purpose Prior research and theory suggest that receiving visits in prison can reduce recidivism. However, recent scholarship shows that there is variability in whether, how often, and when individuals are visited while incarcerated which may affect post-release outcomes. This study therefore investigates how the frequency and timing of prison visits relate to post-release offending among individuals incarcerated in the Netherlands. Method Data were drawn from the Dutch Prison Visitation Study, which includes detailed measures of visitation, recidivism, and several covariates. Group-based trajectory models were employed to identify visitation patterns. Then, logistic regression models were used to estimate the effects of these trajectories on the likelihood of reconviction. Results The results demonstrate that consistent, frequent visitation and visits near release are associated with reductions in reconvictions, especially in the first 6 months after release. No significant associations were found between individuals who only sporadically receive visits or experience a decrease in visits in the months before release on recidivism when compared to non-visited individuals. Conclusions These findings suggest that some visits (such as frequent, consistent visits) may be beneficial for reducing recidivism in the short-term. More research is needed to understand how and why these visits contribute to reductions in recidivism.