The Impact of Incarceration on Children, Families, and Communities

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. 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. The Children Seeing it through their eyes

26. Children of Incarcerated ParentsA 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 ParentsA 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 • Parenting Programs • G.E.D. /educational opportunities • Anger management • Drug and Alcohol Programs • Religious/spiritual services • Virtual Visitation • Domestic Violence Programs • Counseling/Mental Health Services • Reentry Programs • Reading/Storytelling

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?