Marital therapy in prison: one-partner 'couple therapy'

The intent of this article is, first, to describe some currently available means of strengthening marital and family ties for the incarcerated offender, and to point out the inherent limitations of these processes. Second, we will describe common reactions of inmates to marital crises, especially impending divorce. Third, we will make some comments and recommendations about the conduct of 'marital therapy' when the therapist has access to only one spouse or partner. Inefficient and dysfunctional as such an approach may sound to the therapist accustomed to working with couples 'on the streets,' it is often the only alternative available to the correctional mental health professional when the imprisoned marital partner is in a state of acute pain, with both crisis intervention and follow-up treatment critical.