Action for Prisoners’ Families (2003)
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Project Background
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund commissioned PhotoVoice to work with Action for Prisoners’ Families. Through workshops, the young participants produced images that explored how they felt about life with a family member in prison.
Some of the images were distributed as postcards at the Cathcart Spring Proms evening at the Royal Albert Hall, a fundraising night in celebration of the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Action for Prisoners’ Families have also used these images in their advocacy work.
Young people with a family member in prison can feel isolated from their peers and the community. With no-one else to turn to, they keep the fact secret fearing the judgements they may face. In the year of the project, an estimated 125,000 children experienced the imprisonment of a parent and over half a million had a parent in prison during their school years. Inadequate facilities and long distances make visiting hard which itself can cause other issues and pressures.
Participants’ comments:
“In my pictures I am trying to show that I might not be strong on the outside but I am strong on the inside. I had to be for my mum and my little sister and brother while my dad was in the nick.”
Jamie
“I took a photo of my mum holding a sign saying ‘Just Understand Us’. It is an important thing to say because when some people find out my dad is in prison they start to judge us before even knowing our situation.”
Rochelle
“I used to get scared when I would go to the prison and see my dad. The screws search you like you were the criminal. I hide this fear because I know I have to be strong for my mum and little sister and little brother.”
Jamie