Parents in Prison
9-18-09
Parents in Prison
Waiting for a pumpkin latte at my favorite coffee shop I overheard a group of teenage girls talking. Truly I do not purposefully eavesdrop on these conversations, but my teacher/journalistic radar was tweaked especially since this gave me insight into my students’ lives.
Three girls were talking.
“My father’s in prison but he’s supposed to get out soon. He was out on parole but got caught with a DUI and now he’s back in. He’s really cool though. He told me there is nothing that I could do that is worse than what he has done so he lets me do anything I want. He’s really cool though.”
Wondering how many of my students face the same issue. How many children live with a single parent or no parent because of incarceration? How does this affect their lives and their self esteem? I cannot imagine coming to school every day and worrying about my mom or dad while trying to study and get good grades.
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs updated a report written by Lauren E. Glaze and Laura M. Maruschak, in January of 2009 about parents in prison and their minor children. The statistics are staggering.
- Parents of minor children held in the nation’s prisons increased by 79% between 1991 and midyear 2007.
- The number of children under age 18 with a mother in prison more than doubled since 1991
In all likelihood, teachers see the children of incarcerated parents every day yet they often times are unaware and limited in knowhow. What can be done to help a child who is experiencing this loss?
- The majority of prisoners reported having a minor child, a quarter of which were age 4 or younger.
- More than a third of minor children will reach age 18 while their parent is incarcerated.
Very young children are growing up in single parent homes, sometimes with relatives and grandparents who already have limited financial resources.
- Drug and public-order offenders in state and federal prisons were more likely than violent offenders to have children.
- More than 4 in 10 mothers in state prison who had minor children were living in single-parent households in the month before arrest.
- About half of parents in state prison provided the primary financial support for their minor children.
Students experience trauma when sending a father or mother to prison and the uncertainty of not knowing when they will return. Add to this the fact that the parent was most likely the breadwinner in the family and that drugs and addiction may likely be involved: children carry an unbearable burden.
- Fathers most commonly reported the child’s mother as current caregiver of their children, while mothers most commonly reported the child’s grandparents.
- More than three-quarters of state prison inmates who were parents of minor children reported that they had some contact with their children since admission.
- Mothers in state prison more likely than fathers to report homelessness, past physical or sexual abuse, and medical and mental health problems.
Children with parents in prison are likely to visit or write. There is a good chance that the parent/family has been homeless, or suffering from trauma. It’s not difficult to imagine that these children come to school every day with a huge issue that no one ever talks about. They may share bits and pieces with friends, but their emotional and psychological health is constantly challenged. Awareness and compassion will help teachers work with their students and get through these difficult times.
