[donquixote99]

OK, don't really know you or your family. But you're asking, so I'll just tell you what I see in your post.

You mention these concerns:

--exposing your daughter to 'that environment'
--daughter intimidated by guards and inmates
--it could feel like 'the whole family is in jail'
--your wife talking to anyone there

Basically, you sound fairly freaked-out by the idea of prison and your family being things that are associated. That is very understandable and natural. It really attacks your ability to feel you all are OK respectable middle-class people, doesn't it? Well, you all have 7 months to get through, anyway. You need to think of your ongoing life as a family, which will be decades, not months. Think of what will be best for your family relationships going forward.

I think it's likely that you have shame about the prison term, and this has more to do than anything else with your clear desire to keep your daughter away from the place. But I don't think she should go seven months without seeing her mother. Your wife is going to be your daughter's mother for the rest of her life. They should stay in touch during this episode, I'd say.

BTW, do you really think your wife should go seven months without 'talking' to anyone? That is hardly human. Seven months in solitary would be very traumatic. This again sounds like an attempt to keep your family separate from the 'shame and disgrace' of prison, but that's hardly possible, especially for your wife, who is going to be living there for seven months. You need to support her, unconditionally, not try to put more difficulties on her to ease your own feelings.