Incarcerated Family Members Presented By: Sarah Grey, Kristen Gilmeister, & Ashley Landek

Video

What is the difference between jail and prison?

Jail  A place of detention  Holds: people awaiting trial, sentenced for a short duration (less than a year)  Jurisdiction: run by the county sheriff’s department  Work release programs, boot camps  Address educational needs, substance abuse needs, and vocational needs Prison  A place of long time confinement  Two types (State & Federal)  Holds: people convicted of crimes, sentenced for a long term  Jurisdiction: run by the Prisons and Corrections office  Halfway houses, work release centers, and community restitution centers

Incarcerated Mothers  75% of all female prison inmates are mothers  Of those women, 25% are pregnant at time of arrest  Two-thirds were primary caregivers  When a mother is sent to prison, she is likely to be the sole custodian of her children  Women who give birth in prison often have to relinquish custody within hours of giving birth.  Only 6 states have “prison nurseries”

Effects on Children with Incarcerated Mother  More disruptive than a father’s arrest or incarceration  More than half of incarcerated mothers do not receive any visits from their children while in prison

Incarcerated Fathers  Three-quarters of federal inmates in the United States are fathers  In 2007, 92% of incarcerated parents were fathers and 8% were mothers.  When a father becomes incarcerated his child support obligation continues at the same level, despite his inability to pay  While the vast majority of children of male prisoners are living with their mothers, only about a third (37%) of the children of incarcerated women are living with their fathers.  Children of most incarcerated males remain with the mother when a father enters prison

Effects on a Child with Incarcerated Fathers  Half of incarcerated fathers were living with their youngest child prior to their incarceration  Sons are more likely to follow their father’s foot steps

General Effects  Vulnerable to feeling of fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, depression, and guilt  Emotional withdrawal, failure in school, and delinquency  Suffer from multiple psychological problems  Traumatic, disrupt personal and family bonds, and worsen the family's social and financial situation  Depending on age of the child, effects differ  Children of offenders are five times more likely to end up in prison compared to their peers  Tends to lead to later criminal activity & drug possession  Children tend to blame themselves for parent’s incarceration  Only two states address the needs of children at the time of a parent’s arrest

Juvenile Detention Centers  Secured facilities used to house youths that are in trouble with the law.  Youths awaiting trial or placement in another care facility are often placed in juvenile detention centers for security purposes.  Over 300,000 juveniles are incarcerated and another 100,000 return to these facilities to await legal action.  Provides education, nutrition, healthcare, and recreation to all inmates.  Overcrowding in these facilities causes tension  Increase bad behavior once youths are released  Troubled juveniles influence one another

Incarcerated Siblings  Most commonly a male youth from a troubled home ends up in a juvenile detention center  Physically detached from the family & social environment  Older siblings become role models to his/her siblings  35,000 children a year are affected by the incarceration of a sibling  Effects: Abandonment, distress, responsibility of being strong, and keeping quiet in school settings

“Teachering” Suggestions  NEVER ASSUME!  Journal writing  Art and dance activities  Direct help  Guidance counselor  After school activities  Group projects  Teacher should be flexible, monitor progress, supportive, maintain high expectations & focus on the positives

Works Cited  "Beyond Scared Straight: Inmate Stories - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 07 Nov  "The Effects on Children Whose Siblings Have Been Imprisoned | Society | Society Guardian." Latest News, Sport and Comment from the Guardian | The Guardian. Guardian New and Media Limited, Web. 07 Nov  "I'm Pregnant And... In Prison [1/2] - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 07 Nov  "Jail vs Prison." Web. 7 Nov  "Juvenile Detention Centers." EHow. Web..  "Sentence for Two Children of Incarcerated Parents by Ruby - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 07 Nov  "What Will Happen to Me - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 07 Nov