Father Behind Bars

Arthur Hamilton, imprisoned for armed robbery and manslaughter, a college graduate, and the founder of Fathers Behind Bars, Inc., tells the story of his life.

This book is a memoir charting the journey of an incarcerated African American father faced with the dilemma of parenting from prison. Coping with the loss of his freedom and struggling to find ways to continue to communicate with his children, provide for them financially, manage stress, provide emotional support, and dealing with the addition of new children. Hundreds of miles away from his children, family and friends, removed from a life of so-called normalcy to one filled with so much uncertainty. Still faced with issues like abandonment, acceptance and visitation are other struggles he must also face in this new world as an incarcerated father. Through all that was a struggle became strength. With an undying love for his children, his energy was focused in continuing to fulfill his duties as a father. With the help of family, friends, community and a desire to truly be a better father, he was able to remain a staple in the fabric of his children's lives until his release from incarceration.

This book is a memoir charting the Journey of an incarcerated African American father faced with the dilemma of parenting from prison. Coping with the loss of his freedom and struggling to find ways to continue to communicate with his children, provide for them financially, manage stress, provide emotional support, and dealing with the addition of new children. Hundreds of miles away from his children, family and friends, removed from a life of so-called normalcy to one filled with so much uncertainty. Still faced with issues like abandonment, acceptance and visitation are other struggles he must also face in this new world as an incarcerated father. Through all that was a struggle became strength. With an undying love for his children, his energy was focused in continuing to fulfill his duties as a father. With the help of family, friends, community and a desire to truly be a better father, he was able to remain a staple in the fabric of his children's lives until his release from incarceration.

Provides a close-up examination of the instability and uncertainty that plague the children of prisoners, in a collection of personal, anecdotal accounts that chronicle their attempts to cope with the unique challenges in their lives.

Arthur Hamilton, imprisoned for armed robbery and manslaughter, a college graduate, and the founder of Fathers Behind Bars, Inc., tells the story of his life.

In this "inspirational account" (Ebony), the founder of Fathers Behind Bars, Inc., tells how, during a lengthy prison sentence, he regained control of his life, and eventually became a respected writer and newspaper editor--as well as the parent he had always longed to be. 16 pages of photos.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NBCC John Leonard Prize Finalist Indie Bestseller “This is a book people will be talking about forever.” —Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Untamed “Ford’s wrenchingly brilliant memoir is truly a classic in the making. The writing is so richly observed and so suffused with love and yearning that I kept forgetting to breathe while reading it.” —John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author One of the most prominent voices of her generation debuts with an extraordinarily powerful memoir: the story of a childhood defined by the looming absence of her incarcerated father. Through poverty, adolescence, and a fraught relationship with her mother, Ashley C. Ford wishes she could turn to her father for hope and encouragement. There are just a few problems: he’s in prison, and she doesn’t know what he did to end up there. She doesn’t know how to deal with the incessant worries that keep her up at night, or how to handle the changes in her body that draw unwanted attention from men. In her search for unconditional love, Ashley begins dating a boy her mother hates. When the relationship turns sour, he assaults her. Still reeling from the rape, which she keeps secret from her family, Ashley desperately searches for meaning in the chaos. Then, her grandmother reveals the truth about her father’s incarceration . . . and Ashley’s entire world is turned upside down. Somebody’s Daughter steps into the world of growing up a poor Black girl in Indiana with a family fragmented by incarceration, exploring how isolating and complex such a childhood can be. As Ashley battles her body and her environment, she embarks on a powerful journey to find the threads between who she is and what she was born into, and the complicated familial love that often binds them.

Behind Bars:Readingson Incarcerated Lifeprovides an insider's view of the prison experience. Seeking to answer the question "what is it really like to be a prison inmate?" this book presents easy to read, timely and diverse overviews of many of the most critical aspects of correctional culture and life.The readings in the book are organized into broad categories that emphasize the range of major goals and tasks involved in prisons. Special attention is devoted to ensuring a diversity of views and a diversity of experiences in the issues and readings presented. Also includes broad coverage of psychological adaptations of inmates, relationships inside prison, substance use/abuse, violence, health care and media portrayals of the prison experience.For those interested in learning more about prison life.