Parental Incarceration and the Family : Psychological and Social Effects of Imprisonment on Children, Parents, and Caregivers

Winner of the 2014 Outstanding Book Award presented by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Over 2% of U.S.children under the age of 18—more than 1,700,000 children—have a parent in prison. These children experience very real disadvantages when compared to their peers: they tend to experience lower levels of educational success, social exclusion, and even a higher likelihood of their own future incarceration. Meanwhile, their new caregivers have to adjust to their new responsibilities as their lives change overnight, and the incarcerated parents are cut off from their children’s development. Parental Incarceration and the Family brings a family perspective to our understanding of what it means to have so many of our nation’s parents in prison. Drawing from the field’s most recent research and the author’s own fieldwork, Joyce Arditti offers an in-depth look at how incarceration affects entire families: offender parents, children, and care-givers. Through the use of exemplars, anecdotes, and reflections, Joyce Arditti puts a human face on the mass of humanity behind bars, as well as those family members who are affected by a parent’s imprisonment. In focusing on offenders as parents, a radically different social policy agenda emerges—one that calls for real reform and that responds to the collective vulnerabilities of the incarcerated and their kin.

Over 2% of U.S.children under the age of 18-more than 1,700,000 children-have a parent in prison. These children experience very real disadvantages when compared to their peers: they tend to experience lower levels of educational success, social exclusion, and even a higher likelihood of their own future incarceration. Meanwhile, their new caregivers have to adjust to their new responsibilities as their lives change overnight, and the incarcerated parents are cut off from their children’s development. Parental Incarceration and the Family brings a family perspective to our understanding of what it means to have so many of our nation’s parents in prison. Drawing from the field’s most recent research and the author’s own fieldwork, Joyce Arditti offers an in-depth look at how incarceration affects entire families: offender parents, children, and care-givers. Through the use of exemplars, anecdotes, and reflections, Joyce Arditti puts a human face on the mass of humanity behind bars, as well as those family members who are affected by a parent’s imprisonment. In focusing on offenders as parents, a radically different social policy agenda emerges-one that calls for real reform and that responds to the collective vulnerabilities of the incarcerated and their kin.

Over 2% of U.S. children under the age of 18--more than 1,700,000 children--have a parent in prison. These children experience very real disadvantages when compared to their peers: they tend to experience lower levels of educational success, social exclusion, and even a higher likelihood of their own future incarceration. Meanwhile, their new caregivers have to adjust to their new responsibilities as their lives change overnight, and the incarcerated parents are cut off from their children's development. Parental Incarceration brings a family perspective to our understanding of what it means to have so many of our nation's parents in prison. Drawing from the author's own research and fieldwork, this book offers an in-depth look at how incarceration affects entire families: offender parents, children, caregivers. Through the use of examples, anecdotes, and reflections, a human face is put the mass of humanity behind bars, as well as those family members who are affected by a parent's imprisonment. In focusing on offenders as parents, a radically different social policy agenda emerges, one that calls for real reform and that responds to the collective vulnerabilities of the incarcerated and their kin. -- Publisher description MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Cover 1 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 1. Introduction: A Framework for Understanding Parental Incarceration 12 2. Context and Processes Associated with Incarcerated Parenting 34 3. Maternal Incarceration 55 4. Paternal Incarceration 81 5. The Effects of Incarceration on Families and Children 106 6. Conclusion: Practice and Policy Implications of a Family Perspective on Parental Incarceration 151 Appendix 195 Notes 216 Bibliography 220 Index 248 A 248 B 248 C 249 D 250 E 250 F 251 G 251 H 252 I 252 J 253 K 253 L 253 M 253 N 255 O 255 P 255 R 257 S 257 T 258 U 259 V 259 W 259 Y 259 Z 259 About the Author 260 Introduction: a framework for understanding parental incarceration Context and processes Maternal incarceration Paternal incarceration The effects on families and children Conclusions: practice and policy implications of a family perspective.