Incarceration, the detention of a person in prison, is a key issue impacting the well-being of millions of people around the world. While we associate incarceration as punishment for committing a crime, hundreds of thousands of people are incarcerated under mere suspicion of committing a crime, especially if they cannot afford bail. The US has the highest documented rate of incarceration in the world, and the physical, emotional, and psychological isolation experienced by incarcerated people—and those that love, care for, and rely on them—must be addressed to allow for individual, communal, and relational healing and health.
