There are many law-abiding people who are separated from their families by circumstances. For example, Royal Naval personnel may be away for six months or more before returning home.

Prison is not normally the first recourse of the justice system. Fines, community services orders and suspended sentences may be used first. If offenders do not respond to these then they must shoulder the blame for any detrimental effects on their families. Prisoners' families are victims, not of the system, but of the lawbreakers themselves.

DC