1. Incarcerated Mothers: Their Histories of Victimization and the Consequences for Their Children Toni Johnson, Associate Professor tkjohns@ku.edutkjohns@ku.edu Margaret Severson, Professor mseverson@ku.edumseverson@ku.edu School of Social Welfare Social Work Social Development 2012: Action and Impact Stockholm, Sweden – July 10, 2012

2. The Identified Problem  Personal, social & fiscal costs of violence to girls & women  Involvement with the criminal justice system  The effects of marriage & motherhood on women prisoners  Rehabilitation, treatment & reentry services are limited

3. Aim of the Project For many incarcerated mothers reintegration into the community is complicated by past victimization, needs for trauma services, parental expectations & significant economic needs. Findings from two studies (one on incarcerated women & one on adolescent children of prisoners) are used to examine the complex web of need that emerges for many incarcerated women and their children.

4. Women in U.S. Prisons  More women are incarcerated in the U.S. than in any other country in the world (Sabol, West, and Cooper, 2009)  Account for 7+% of the inmate population, and rising (Harrison & Beck, 2006)  Most are poor, unskilled, and undereducated  Women of color disproportionately represented  Many/most have histories of sexual and/or physical victimization as children and adults  60-80% are parents to minor children  More likely than male prisoners to have had custody of their children prior to incarceration

5. Overview of the Children of Women Prisoners  Children live more often with single or elderly women than with a parent  Children more likely to go into the child welfare system than are children of male prisoners  Many live in poor, urban areas  Likely to be affected on the emotional, social, structural & economic levels  Experience an accumulation of risk (e.g., crime ridden neighborhoods, parental alcohol/drug abuse, multiple changes in living arrangements) Many incarcerated mothers experience anguish & distress over their children and they have good reason for concern (Mumola, 2002)

6. Study 1: Examined the Experiences of Violence & Victimization of Incarcerated Women  Mixed Methods; total n=423  157 Participants in this presentation sample  12 month data collection period  Standardized measures used to collect information on childhood sexual & physical abuse, intimate partner violence & sexual assault in adulthood

7. Data Focus: Economic Supports Legal & illegal activities used to secure economic support. Examples of legal included selling handmade items, providing a service & receiving welfare. Examples of illegal included writing bad checks, selling illegal drugs & providing sex for money. Criminal Behavior Women were asked about the nature of the arrest(s) for up to 9 incidents. Arrests were categories into economic, drug related & violent crimes.

8. Findings Descriptive Sample: single, married, partnered & women without children Mean age 35 - those without children, slightly younger Higher level of education associated with lower incidence of motherhood, but not with partnered status Single mothers & unmarried mothers living with a partner were disproportionately African American

9. Study 1: Findings Economic Conditions  Most women worked prior to incarceration  Majority lived in poverty  Many held a 2 nd or 3 rd job to survive  Most were poor; 49.7% had an annual income < $10,000  Many engaged in illegal activities to generate income(88%)  Single parenthood and/or living unmarried with a partner carries risk of economic hardship Victimization  Unmarried mothers who lived with partners prior to incarceration were most likely to have histories of multiple forms of victimization

10. Findings: What Would Have Helped? When Asked What Would Have Helped?  Job Training  Addiction treatment/mental health counseling  Legal help for domestic violence  Assistance with childcare

11. Study 2: Examined the Service Needs of Adolescent Children of Prisoners from the Youth Perspective o Concept mapping used to collect & analyze data from adolescent youth with a parent currently in prison o Involved youth at every stage of research from planning to analysis o Youth asked to identify social service needs and sort those needs in order of importance

12. Study 2: Research Participants DemographicsYouth: N=14 Age13-18 years Gender9 Females 5 Males Race/Ethnicity5 African Americans 5 White 1 Latina 1 Native American 2 Mixed Race Gender of Incarcerated Parent 9 youth – Father incarcerated 3 youth – Mother incarcerated 2 youth – Mother & Father incarcerated

13. Study 2: Data Set  47 Different Statements or concepts generated  (Examples of statements include: have staff that really care, helps family with basic needs, helps youth find employment, & provides mentoring for youth)  Youth individually sorted the statements into groups and rated them in order of importance on scale from 1 (not at all important) to 5 (most important)  Hierarchical cluster analysis & multidimensional scaling used to analyze the sort data

14. Study 2: Data Clusters 47 statements clustered around 7 themes:  Special Needs  Staff Qualities  Health/Mental Health & Addiction Treatment  Advocacy/Community Education  Youth Development  Family Ties  Therapy /Support

15. Statements Form Clusters Concept Map Reflects Ratings of Importance (Each number represents a particular statement, cluster layers represent the importance of that cluster)

16. Study 2: Selected Findings Clusters focused on “Staff Qualities” & “Special Needs”--- including meeting the family’s needs Many youth identified the strain caregivers experience in taking care of the youth Youth were concerned about the incarcerated parent & their relationship Want supports in place for incarcerated parents when returning to home & community Individual statements focused on personal development & future orientation were highly rated

17. Viewed Together … Viewed together, these studies create a powerful picture of challenges faced by mother and child & the urgent need for services. Both Mothers & Adolescent Children :  Expressed concern about the welfare of the other  Encountered difficulty meeting basic needs  Were traumatized by the separation from children/parent  Desired access to counseling/mental health treatment

18. Implications for Action  Provide mechanisms that help prisoners & their children maintain family ties  This doesn’t necessarily equate to a children-in-prison approach  Provide concrete support (economic, social, practical) to caregivers of children during a parent’s incarceration  Establish strong reentry programs for the returning mother – with the “right” program goals and supports  Provide skill building parenting programs designed specifically for this population  Provide counseling & support for parent & child

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