Summary Points
[ Main Page of Report |
Contents of Report ]
-
The number of individuals involved in the criminal justice system is at a
historic high. There are almost 2.3 million individuals in U.S. jails and
prisons and more than 798,000 people on parole. It is estimated that 7,476,500
children have a parent who is in prison, in jail or under correctional
supervision.
-
Minority children are disproportionately affected by father imprisonment:
In state prisons, 42% of fathers are African American, and African American
children are seven and a half times more likely to have a parent in prison
than white children (6.7% vs. 0.9%).
-
Only 23% of state prisoners are married, but many are involved in intimate
or co-parenting relationships.
-
Father incarceration negatively affects family life. Spouses/partners face
serious financial strains, social isolation and stigma, loneliness, and negative
emotions such as anger and resentment.
-
Children of incarcerated fathers also may experience numerous life stressors,
including caregiver changes, increased poverty, and involvement with the
child welfare system, in addition to the pain of parental separation. These
stressors have been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, learning
problems, and aggression.
-
Fathers in prison face a host of problems that limit their ability to be
successful at reentry including substance abuse, mental illness, low educational
attainment, and poor employment histories.
-
Most men plan to live with their families upon release, and those who report
positive family and parenting relationships during reentry are less likely
to recidivate. Family support services during incarceration and after release
are an important strategy for increasing criminal desistance, yet family
strengthening services are often a neglected aspect of rehabilitation.
-
Marriage and relationship enhancement interventions in prison show promise
in reducing negative interactions and in improving communication skills and
relationship satisfaction.
-
Findings from evaluations of parenting programs in prison also are encouraging:
inmates involved in such programs indicate improved attitudes about the
importance of fatherhood, increased parenting skills, and more frequent contact
with their children.
-
To be successful, family strengthening services for prisoners require
coordination between criminal justice and human service agencies, which often
have divergent goals and contrasting perspectives. Success is also tied to
effective linkages between prisons and community partners.
-
Obstacles to family strengthening efforts during incarceration and re-entry
include distance between place of imprisonment and reentry community,
difficulties in recruiting and retaining prisoners, inhospitable visiting
rules, unsupportive extended family relations, and barriers to partner and
child involvement such as transportation difficulties, busy schedules, and
relationship strain.
-
The evidence for marital partner education and parenting programs is just
beginning to accumulate. This evidence is hampered by a lack of rigorous
evaluation methods. Studies have rarely employed randomized controlled trials,
which are the gold standard for program evaluation. Program assessments also
have had limited follow-ups to assess the maintenance of behavioral change
and frequently rely on non-standardized measures and self-reports to document
change.
-
Effective social policies are critical for reducing recidivism and decreasing
the negative effects of incarceration on children and families.
Where to?
Top of Page | Contents
Main Page of Report |
Contents of Report
Home Pages:
Human Services Policy
(HSP)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
(ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS)
