The pains of indeterminate imprisonment for families of IPP prisoners: assessing harms and finding solutions

This briefing reports on the first empirical exploration of this important issue. It comprised in-depth interviews with family members; an online survey of families; and interviews with policy participants. The findings make clear that a pervasive sense of injustice and uncertainty underpins and permeates more specific concerns relating to efforts to progress towards release, and managing the stresses of life beyond release. Families report significant material effects, which appear to be heavily gendered in their distribution. Family relationships – both with the prisoner and more widely – are often heavily disrupted. Respondents reported significant negative health effects caused by the stress and anxiety.