Background to the Research

• The release of prisoners under the Good Friday Agreement was not welcomed by all sections of the NI population. In order to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of the conflict on prisoners, Tar Anall set out to explore the impact of imprisonment on republican prisoners and their families.
  

Research Approach

• Tar Anall facilitated a series of discussion groups with male and female ex-prisoners, the partners of prisoners/ex-prisoners and the children of prisoners/ex-prisoners.
  

Main Findings

• Upon release, ex-prisoners expressed feelings of disconnectedness from their community and from society in general.
• Within prison, prisoners had formed a group or 'prison family' in which they felt supported and protected from other inmates and the prison authorities. Leaving this ' prison family' upon release proved difficult for many prisoners.
• The prisoner's domestic families had adapted to life without the prisoner and the prisoner expected things to be the same upon his/her return. Release meant a difficult adjustment for all members of the family.
• Ex-prisoners felt the weight of community expectations that they should conform to a stereotype of an ex-prisoner by cleaving to republican traditions and a republican social circle.
• The participants described how the all-male environment of prison - that included conflict with warders and the prison authorities - had conditioned them to show little emotion or disclose problems.
• The process of becoming attached again to personal possessions, family and friends was difficult for prisoners, as they had spent many years training themselves to be unattached in prison.
• Relationships were difficult to maintain with occasional visits and letters and upon release relationships were put under further strain as each ex-prisoners and their family tried to adjust to the new situation.

Conclusions

• The experience of prison did not end with release; rather the experience of prison formed an integral part of ex-prisoners daily lives.
• The participants valued the opportunity to share the experiences afforded to them in the discussions groups.
• Ex-prisoners throughout Ireland need such opportunities to explore and express their feeling in order to be given the support and encouragement they need to take control of their own lives.