Socio-Economic Costs of Crime on Prisoners' Families: A Case Study of Southern Punjab

Abstract

Aim of the Study: The purpose of research work was on “Socio-Economic Cost of Crime: A Case Study of Southern Punjab”. Crime is committed by one person but whole family suffered because of that crime. Siblings, parents, patterns, children as well as the family members, relatives, neighbors and co-workers all suffered because of once imprisonment. The objectives of study were i) to study the social cost of crime paid by prisoners’ families ii) to study the economic cost of crime paid by prisoners’ families. Prisoners' families faced different behaviors of society.

Methodology: A survey was conducted through questionnaire on 362 respondents that were come to visit the jail to meet the family member who was in jail. Independent t-test and ANOVA was statistical test for measured the hypothesis of this research. 

Findings: Major findings shows that stigmatization has great bad effect on families of prisoner and the duration of imprisonment had directly effect on economic cost.

Conclusion: The study concluded that a child's and family social, psychological and economic consequences of incarcerating a family member can be substantial. The family a prisoner leaves has been referred to as lost, forgotten, hidden, and invisible. The concerns, environmental issues, and needs of these families, along with the children's, spouses', parents, and grandparents, have only recently come to the forefront of the discussion. The expenses were astronomical both in terms of cost and duration for the offender and his/her family and for the criminal. For fear of being "stigmatized," family members may feel pressured to keep their friends and/or greater community members in the dark about the reasons why a member of the family is absent, adding to their already elevated stress levels.