An analysis is presented of how prisoners’ relatives experience and attribute meanings to the imprisonment of one or more family members. Drawing on 30 interviews conducted in Portugal with men and women taking an active role in supporting prisoners, the article explores the collateral consequences associated with both male and female imprisonment. Empirical findings point to the heterogeneous, ambivalent, complex and dynamic character of prisoners’ relatives experiences and meanings. In addition, the results also highlight the significant impact of gender relations and access to social and economic resources on the social implications associated with imprisonment.