Hi BOface. By "house" I meant the rest of the inmates. As in "the big house" that prisons are often referred to. The teasing and harassment of other inmates can cause stress and agitation for the rest of them.

As for families. I guess we can't judge what they've been through so if the forget about the person in prison they may have good reason. A friend of mines younger brother, age 16, opened fire in her parents while they were watching TV killing her mom and causing disfiguring wounds to her dad. They had taken away his video games anting him to do something different that evening. Maybe watch a movie with them. I guess he didn't like it. He got one of his dad's guns out of a locked cabinet (questionably locked, and also where they put the confiscated video game), walked into the TV room, and said "Hey, I have a surprise for you guys".

When they turned to look at him he opened fire hitting both of them in the head. Then he ran but was soon caught. He went to prison as an adult. Now she has 3 small children and he's incarcerated 200 miles away. She loves him but isn't sure it would benefit the kids to know much about him. Her call. In those cases, family involvement wains due to the nature of the crime as well as the years that go by. I can't imagine what I would do. Just visiting a family member at the county jail for 20 minutes felt stressful.