This Best Practices Tool-Kit aims to systematically identify empirical evidence regarding prison programs and practices for incarcerated parents and their children. It highlights several practices and program strategies that are proven, promising or exemplary best practices and provides references for more extensive reading, if desired. The objective of the tool kit is to offer a sound evidence base that will better inform policymakers, practitioners and researchers on prison programs and practices geared toward building the parental skills of incarcerated parents. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article The confluence of high teen parenthood and incarceration rates for ethnic minority youth warrant investigations into the relationship between parental bonds and desistence from crime. Empirical studies present conflicting findings regarding how, or if, fatherhood correlates with youth offenders' decreased criminal activity. Through in-depth interviews with seven incarcerated teen fathers, this study provides insight into their views of their responsibilities toward their children, relationships with their children's mothers, and prospects for future criminal activity. Results show that…
We examine the consequences of incarceration for non-resident White, Latino, and African American fathers' contact with children and their formal and informal child support agreements. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we found that fathers' current incarceration presented serious obstacles to maintaining contact with children and interfered with the establishment of informal financial support agreements with mothers. Recent and past incarceration were strongly and negatively associated with how often non-Latino White fathers saw their children, while having a…
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Journal Article Key demographics were recently released from a study of reentry programs under the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) -- a Federal effort to help States use their correctional resources to reduce recidivism. Aimed at increasing public safety, SVORI is an unprecedented national response to the criminal justice, employment, education, health, and housing challenges that adult and juvenile offenders face when they return to the community. This article summarizes the demographics and responses of the men who participated in the 5-year SVORI program.
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Journal Article Background: Children of prisoners are at increased risk of impaired health, behavioural problems and substance misuse; however, the causal pathways to these problems are unclear. Under some circumstances, parental imprisonment may result in improved outcomes for the child. This study investigates the impact of paternal arrest and imprisonment on child behaviour and substance use, as a function of child gender, and in the context of known social and familial risk factors. Methods: Longitudinal analysis of an Australian birth cohort (N ¼ 2,399) recruited 1981-83, with child outcomes measured at…
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Journal Article Using longitudinal data from a sample of 451 families with a child in eighth grade at the time of study, three research questions have been addressed: First, the study explored the ways in which mothers and fathers differ with regard to four parenting styles. Second, the study examined the manner in which individual parenting styles combine to form family parenting styles. Finally, the study investigated the extent to which these various styles are related to delinquency, depression, and school commitment for adolescents. Regardless of reporter, the most common family parenting styles are…
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Journal Article This paper highlights a number of promising services and supports for incarcerated parents and recommends what attorneys representing or working with incarcerated parents and their children can do to minimize harm to children. (Author abstract)
This paper examines the consequences of incarceration for non-resident White, Latino, and African American fathers' contact with children and their formal and informal child support agreements three years after the child's birth. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, fathers' current incarceration is found to present serious obstacles to maintaining contact with children, as well as to interfere with the establishment of informal but not formal financial support agreements with mothers. The effects of past incarceration, however, vary significantly by race and…
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Journal Article This paper explores the effectiveness of delivering an intensive parenting class to groups of young fathers in prison. Evaluation was based on course feedback from a total of 75 participants. Results demonstrate that even within a group of young prisoners of similar ages there were diverse parenting educational requirements, indicating a need for courses to remain flexible and participant-led. In considering parenting support needs, three-quarters of all course participants highlighted the importance of better visiting procedures to allow them to keep in contact with their children whilst in…
Far more men are incarcerated than are women. Since most incarcerated men have families, when a man is incarcerated, there can be repercussions not only for himself, but also for his children and his spouse or partner. However, not all families are affected by incarceration in the same way. The implications of incarceration vary by the incarcerated individual's gender, race/ethnicity, age, and the geographical region in which he lives. This fact sheet discusses the implications of incarceration on fathers and their families. (Author abstract)
