The objective of this article is to present the role played by the institution of a family in the lives of persons sentenced to terms of imprisonment. The focus will be placed on the impact of family environment on the behaviour and actions of the convict in the “pre-prison”, “prison” and “post-prison” periods. An attempt was made to identify the fundamental value of the institution of a family in prisoners’ lives. The following article takes advantage of the analytical-synthetic method. The psycho-social perspective has been accepted within the discussion which refers to considering the axiological category of this particular social group as well as the researcher’s perspective. The conducted analysis revealed that family plays a crucial role in the convicts’ lives; however, there are certain situations which prove otherwise. Maintaining family ties gives convicts a sense that there is someone to whom they may return after they have served their sentence.