Family Therapy in Corrections: Implications for Reentry Into the Community.

Prison life is often characterized by drug use, racial intolerance, and violence. This culture of criminality is juxtaposed to treatment efforts that address the criminogenic needs and risks that are associated with inmate institutional rule violations and reoffending in the community, thereby creating seemingly insurmountable challenges for treating clinicians. Rather than fighting a losing battle between treating staff and inmate peers, a more effective strategy may be to utilize family members as resources and allies in the process of change for incarcerated individuals. Challenges and solutions to family therapy prison program implementation are discussed.