Children With Incarcerated Mothers

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A large proportion--and in many jurisdictions the majority--of incarcerated women are mothers. Popular attention is often paid to challenges faced by children of incarcerated mothers while incarcerated women themselves often do not "count" as mothers in mainstream discourse. This is the first anthology on incarcerated mothers' experiences that is primarily based on and reflects the Canadian context. It is also trans- national in scope as it covers related issues from other countries around the world. These essays examine connections between mothering and incarceration, from analysis of the justice system and policies, criminalization of motherhood, to understanding experiences of mothers in prisons as presented in their own voices. They highlight structures and processes which shape and ascribe incarcerated woman's identity as a mother, juxtaposing it with scripted and imposed mainstream norms of a "good" or "real" mother. Moreover, these essays identify and track emergence of mothers' resistance and agency within and in spite of the confines of their circumstances.

This Brief focuses on children with incarcerated mothers, a growing and vulnerable population. It presents five empirical studies, along with an introduction and summary chapter. The five empirical chapters examine new qualitative and quantitative data on: Typical occurrences when pregnant women give birth during incarceration in contrast with the benefits of a prison doula program for mothers and newborns. A mother’s criminal justice involvement for substance abuse crimes and its effects on children’s protective services involvement and foster care placement. How children cope with separation from their mothers because of their incarceration and how that separation continues to affect children's lives following family reunification. Differences in recidivism trajectories between mothers and nonmothers during the 10 years following release from incarceration. Alternatives to incarceration for women in residential drug treatment and how community supervision mandates can affect, contribute to, or extend mother-child separation. The final chapter integrates the information from the empirical studies and summarizes implications for policy and practice. Children with Incarcerated Mothers is an essential resource for policy makers and related professionals, graduate students, and researchers in child and school psychology, family studies, public health, social work, law/criminal justice, and sociology.

"This book is for counselors, social workers, psychologists and teachers who work with children ages 7-12 who have a parent who is in jail or prison. It is designed so that work can be done individually or in small groups. Each chapter includes a brief literature review, suggestions for additional supports, discussion questions, fictional letters between a boy and his incarcerated father, activities, and reproducible worksheets."--Back cover.

"This important book covers developmental outcomes of children in this predicament, parenting from prison, and family reunification. It is filled with research findings and addresses clinical issues as well. Many children are affected by a parent in the criminal justice system, and this book is sorely needed. The editors and contributors have produced a wonderful resource." Score: 94, 4 stars --Doody's This book serves as a comprehensive source for understanding and intervening with children of incarcerated parents. The text examines the daunting clinical implications inherent in trauma throughout development, as well as social and political roles in ameliorating intergenerational delinquency. It conceptualizes the problem by using an ecological framework that is focused on the experience of the child. Children of Incarcerated Parents addresses developmental and clinical issues experienced throughout the trajectory of childhood and adolescence with a focus on interventions and social policies to improve outcomes for this under-studied group. The chapters explore individual, community, and national levels of policy, programming, and legislation.

The second edition of this handbook examines family life, health, and educational issues that often arise for the millions of children in the United States whose parents are in prison or jail. It details how these youth are more likely to exhibit behavior problems such as aggression, substance abuse, learning difficulties, mental health concerns, and physical health issues. It also examines resilience and how children and families thrive even in the face of multiple challenges related to parental incarceration. Chapters integrate diverse; interdisciplinary; and rapidly expanding literature and synthesizes rigorous scholarship to address the needs of children from multiple perspectives, including child welfare; education; health care; mental health; law enforcement; corrections; and law. The handbook concludes with a chapter that explores new directions in research, policy, and practice to improve the life chances of children with incarcerated parents. Topics featured in this handbook include: Findings from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. How parental incarceration contributes to racial and ethnic disparities and inequality. Parent-child visits when parents are incarcerated in prison or jail. Approaches to empowering incarcerated parents of color and their families. International advances for incarcerated parents and their children. The second edition of the Handbook on Children with Incarcerated Parents is an essential reference for researchers, professors, clinicians/practitioners, and graduate students across developmental psychology, criminology, sociology, law, psychiatry, social work, public health, human development, and family studies. “This important new volume provides a cutting-edge update of research on the impact of incarceration on family life. The book will be an essential reference for researchers and practitioners working at the intersections of criminal justice, poverty, and child development.” Bruce Western, Ph.D., Columbia University “The comprehensive, interdisciplinary focus of this handbook brilliantly showcases the latest research, interventions, programs, and policies relevant to the well-being of children with incarcerated parents. This edition is a ‘must-read’ for students, researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers alike who are dedicated to promoting the health and resilience of children affected by parental incarceration.” Leslie Leve, Ph.D., University of Oregon

In this volume, prominent scholars from multiple disciplines examine how parental incarceration affects children and what can be done to help them. In the United States today, roughly 1 in 25 children has a parent behind bars. This insightful volume provides an authoritative, multidisciplinary analysis of how parental incarceration affects children and what can be done to help them. Contributors to this book bring a wide array of tools for studying the children of incarcerated adults. Sociologists and demographers apply sophisticated techniques for conducting descriptive and causal analyses, with a strong focus on social inequality. Developmental psychologists and family scientists explore how proximal processes, such as parent-child relationships and micro-level family interactions, may mediate or moderate the consequences of parental incarceration. Criminologists offer important insights into the consequences of parental criminality and incarceration. And practitioners who design and evaluate interventions review a variety of programs targeting parents, children, the criminal justice system, and the plight of poor children more broadly. Given the vast implications of mass incarceration for individual children and their families, as well as the future of inequality in the United States, this book will serve as a definitive resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

Drawing on qualitative research conducted with young people in New York, this volume highlights the unique experiences of children of incarcerated parents (COIP) and counters deficit-based narratives to consider how young people’s voices can inform and improve educational support services. Supporting Children of Incarcerated Parents in Schools combines the author’s original research and personal experiences with an analysis of existing scholarship to provide unique insight into how COIP experience schooling in the United States. With a focus on the benefits of qualitative research for providing a more nuanced portrayal of these children and their experiences, the text foregrounds youth voices and emphasizes the resilience, maturity, and compassion which these young people demonstrate. By calling attention to the challenges that COIP face in and out of school, and also addressing associated issues around race and racism, the book offers large and small-scale changes that educators and other allies can use to better support children of incarcerated parents. This volume will be of interest to scholars and researchers interested in the sociology of education, race and urban education, and the impacts of parental incarceration specifically. It will also be of benefit to educators and school leaders who are supporting young people affected by these issues.