1. The Impact of Incarceration on Children, Families, and Communities
Presented by
Bob Brinker
ParentWISE Program of Family Services of Western PA

2. Have you Worked with a family having a parent who is incarcerated?
Visited a parent who was incarcerated?
Provided transportation to a family visiting an incarcerated parent?
Worked with a family who’s parent was previously incarcerated?
Had a family member who is or was incarcerated?

3. Test Your Prison Knowledge
1. What is a shank?
A piece of meat
Part of a handcuff
Handmade weapon
A corrections officer

4. 2. What happens if a prisoner clicks up?
Gets promoted on a prison job
Is assigned a better cell
Joins a prison gang
Lights a cigarette when smoking is not permitted

5. 3. Who is Chester?
A prisoner who spent so much time in prison that he cannot function in the outside world
An officer who smuggles contraband into the institution
A prisoner who avoids hard work
A child molester

6. 4. What happens when a person is “riding leg?”
Forms a homosexual relationship with another inmate
Becomes friendly with a staff to get favors
Fabricates a story to gain status with other prisoners
Person who received contraband and is enjoying life

7. 5. Who is Sancho? A corrections officer
A prisoner who informs on others, a snitch
A Latino prisoner
Man having an affair with a prisoner’s wife or girlfriend

8. Words from Ed, a former inmate
“What people don’t understand is that when you go to jail, you take your whole family with you.”

9. Incarceration in the United States
2.8 million children have an incarcerated parent
3.6 million parents are under some form of corrections supervision
10 million children have had an incarcerated parent sometime in their lives

10. Incarceration in the United States
93 percent of incarcerated parents are male and 7 percent are female
90 percent of children with an incarcerated father live with their mother
Children with an incarcerated mother : 28 percent live with dad; 58 percent live with kin; 4 percent are in foster care
Parents who maintain connections during incarceration experience significantly greater success and less recidivism when paroled

11. Discrimination?
African American children are nine times more likely to have an incarcerated parent than Caucasian children
Latino children are three times more likely to have an incarcerated parent than Caucasian children

12. Social Capital
Human Capital
Social Networks

13. Human Capital
The ability to solve life’s problems, take steps to improve one’s life and maintain relationships

14. Social Networks
Friends, family and neighbors that can provide support

15. Effects of Incarceration
Financial loss and added expense
Stigma of incarceration
Loss of parent/child bond
Stress on extended family members

16. Effects of Incarceration
Costs to community, its systems and society
Potential loss of parental rights
Family instability
Loss of intimacy
Child-related concerns

17. Words of Wisdom
“There’s nothing wrong with being a criminal. There is something wrong with remaining a criminal.” Malcolm X

18. Words of Wisdom
“Prison need not be the end of the road but the beginning of an interesting and productive life” Dr. Karl Menninger

19. Biases and Stereotypes
We all have them!

20. Have you heard or said
“I have too many families and lack the skills to work with these families.”
“If they didn’t have their lives together before, how will they get their lives together now.”
“It will just upset the child to bring up the incarcerated parent or see them in prison.”

21. Have you heard or said
“There’s a reason the parent is there. Good parents don’t go to prison.”
“The parents should have thought of their children before committing the crime.”
“Prisons are scary places. Children don’t belong there.”

22. Barriers to Working with families having an Incarcerated Parent
Dealing with the non-incarcerated family members (parents, kin, caregivers)
Distance/transportation
Hostile Prison Environment
The System
Communication
Finances
Legal TimeFrames
Lack of Programs and Services
Personal Circumstances

23. Pittsburgh Child Guidance Center
DVD Presentation
Family Ties
A Project of
Pittsburgh Child Guidance Center

24. Discussion Questions
What insights and understanding did you gain from hearing the stories of the incarcerated parents?
What new understanding did you gain by listening to the stories of the families on the outside?
How did incarceration negatively impact them?
What challenges did they face in dealing with the separation?
What helped them deal with and overcome these challenges?

25. Seeing it through their eyes
The Children
Seeing it through their eyes

26. Children of Incarcerated Parents A Bill of Rights
I have the right to be kept safe and informed at the time of my parents arrest.
I have the right to be heard when decisions are made about me.
I have the right to be considered when decisions are made about my parent.
I have the right to be well cared for in my parents absence.

27. Children of Incarcerated Parents A Bill of Rights
5. I have the right to support as I face my parent’s incarceration.
6. I have the right to speak with, see and touch my parent.
7. I have the right not to be judged, blamed, or labeled because my parent is incarcerated.
8. I have the right to a lifelong relationship with my parent.

28. Children and Families
Lack information
Fear the unknown

29. The Experience of the Arrest

30. Children as Witnesses 67% see their parent handcuffed
27% witness weapons being drawn
4.3 % witness a physical struggle
3.2% witness their parent being pepper sprayed

31. Trauma
A psychologically distressing event outside the range of usual human experience, often involving a sense of intense fear, terror, helplessness, and that produces psychological injury or pain

32. Trauma Creates a prolonged stress response
Is typically unexpected which leads to distrust
Is uncontrollable which creates a sense of helplessness
Can be triggered and re-experienced through various sensory triggers

33. Trauma Inducing Events
Abuse in all forms
Witness to domestic violence
Violence in their community
Frequent housing changes
Chronic health problems
Mental health issues of caregiver
Institutional care and multiple foster placements

34. Attachment Theory

35. Attachment is Critical to human survival A lifelong need
Neurologically driven (need for relationships)

36. Benefits of Attachment
Empathy towards others
Greater cooperation
Mood regulation
Ability to maintain healthy relationships

37. Potential Consequences of Trauma and Poor Attachment
Poor school performance
Developmental delays
Mental health related problems
Exposure to domestic violence
Substance abuse
Aggression and acting out behaviors
Lower economic status

38. Impact affected by Age of child at time of incarceration
Length of separation
Level of disruption
Number of previous separation events
Availability of family and community support
Relationship to parent

39. Addressing the Issue
Addressing the needs of the incarcerated parent, their children, and the non-incarcerated parents and caregivers

40. Grief Due to Loss
Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior.

41. 6 Myths of Grieving Don’t feel bad. Replace the loss. Grieve alone.
Be strong.
Keep busy.
Time heals all wounds.

42. Incarceration Creates a Conspiracy of Silence

43. A Quick Quiz
The families of the incarcerated are a nuisance. They enable and are a part of the problem.
Families are a primary source of stability, support, and motivation. Without them success is unlikely.
Both A and B.

44. Key Players The inmates Their children and families
Family support workers
Corrections and Administration

45. WIIFM
What’s In It For Me?

46. Outcomes Better inmates Inmate has smoother reentry/less recidivism
Child is less stressed
Child experiences fewer behavioral, emotional , and developmental concerns
Less worry about parent and self
Kinship and foster caregivers feel more supported and better

47. Change
One day a man saw a butterfly shuddering on the sidewalk Locked in a seemingly hopeless struggle , to free itself from its now useless cocoon Feeling pity, he took a pocket knife, carefully cut away the cocoon and set the butterfly free To his dismay, it lay on the sidewalk, convulsed weakly for awhile then died A biologist later told him, “That was the worst thing that you could have done!

48. Change (continued)
A butterfly needs that struggle to develop the muscles to fly By robbing him of the struggle, you made him too weak to live

49. Programs Frequently available to Incarcerated Parents
Virtual Visitation
Domestic Violence Programs
Counseling/Mental Health Services
Reentry Programs
Reading/Storytelling
Parenting Programs
G.E.D. /educational opportunities
Anger management
Drug and Alcohol Programs
Religious/spiritual services

50. Children Need Information
Where is my Mom or Dad?
When is He or She Coming Home?
Why is She or He in Jail or Prison?
Can I Talk to my Mom or Dad?
When can I See my Mom or Dad?
Who is going to take Care of Me?
Do My Parents Still Love Me?
Is this My Fault?
Can I do something to Help?
Why do I feel so Sad and Angry?

51. For More Information Organization Organization
Bethesda Family Service Foundation (
Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (
Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents (
Families and Correction Network (
National Fatherhood Initiative (
PA Dept. of Corrections (
Pennsylvania Prison Society (

52. Thank You Very Much