Paying the Price: The cost and impact of imprisonment on families in Ireland
19th November 2025
Paying the Price: The Cost and Impact of Imprisonment on Families in Ireland seeks to address significant gaps in knowledge regarding the relationship between poverty and the challenges faced by families affected by imprisonment, with a particular focus on parents, carers, or siblings in prison.
The imprisonment of a child’s primary carer is recognised as a profoundly damaging experience and one of the ten Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with lasting effects into adulthood. Previous estimates from the IPRT indicated that over 5,000 children had a parent in prison on any given day, affecting more than 10,000 children annually.1 However, with record numbers of people currently in prison, this number is likely to be far higher. To address the significant challenges faced by children and families affected by imprisonment, IPRT commissioned TASC (Think Tank for Action on Social Change) in December 2024 to undertake comprehensive research exploring the financial impact of familial imprisonment on families with children.
Related items:
- Imprisonment ‘pushing families into poverty’
- Report launch: Paying the Price – The Cost and Impact of Imprisonment on Families in Ireland
- Partners of prisoners should get similar social welfare assistance as other lone parents, says report
- Supports sought for children of imprisoned parents
- What is the justice system for if we don’t believe in rehabilitation?
