When the Innocent are Punished: The Children of Imprisoned Parents (Palgrave Studies in Prisons and Penology)

This is a unique and innovative series, the first of its kind dedicated entirely to prison scholarship. At a historical point in which the prison population has reached an all-time high, the series seeks to analyse the form, nature and consequences of incarceration and related forms of punishment. Palgrave Studies in Prisons and Penology provides an important forum for burgeoning prison research across the world. Front Matter....Pages i-viii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Scenes from Family Life....Pages 3-6 When the Innocent are Punished....Pages 7-20 Prison and Society....Pages 21-39 Front Matter....Pages 41-41 Children of Imprisoned Parents in Numbers....Pages 43-47 The Problems and Reactions of Prisoners’ Children: A Review of Research....Pages 48-81 Children of Imprisoned Parents and Their Human Rights....Pages 82-112 Front Matter....Pages 113-113 The Arrest of Parents through the Eyes of Children, Police and Social Services....Pages 115-132 Remand Imprisonment: A Stressful Phase of Transition....Pages 133-137 After the Sentence: The Family’s Way of Dealing with the Children and the Surroundings....Pages 138-143 Visiting in Prisons: Staff, Children, Conditions and Practice....Pages 144-169 Home Leave and Other Ways of Maintaining Contact....Pages 170-179 When Visits Do Not Take Place: Opting Out of Visits and Discontinuing Contact....Pages 180-186 When Contact is Undesirable....Pages 187-193 When Dad or Mum Returns: Re-entry and Release....Pages 194-201 With Mum or Dad in Prison: Children Who Live with Their Imprisoned Parents....Pages 202-213 Penal Populism and Children of Imprisoned Parents....Pages 214-223 Front Matter....Pages 225-225 When the Innocent are Punished: Prison, Society and the Effects of Imprisonment....Pages 227-233 Back Matter....Pages 234-298 There are millions of children experiencing parental imprisonment worldwide, but up until recently very little attention has been given to this issue and the serious intergenerational effects of imprisonment. This book tells the story of prisoner's children - of their situation, problems and human rights - and how they are treated throughout the justice process from the arrest of a parent to imprisonment and release. Based on extensive research from across Europe, Scharff Smith argues that it is a paradox that we hail the family as a fundamental unit in our societies, and insist on regarding children as an especially valuable and vulnerable group of citizens, but at the same time break up families on a massive scale as a result of a conscious, planned and generally unquestioned policy of using imprisonment as a key sanction in the repertoire of punishments. Shedding light on various reform initiatives, this book assists in promoting good practice and improving the experience of children of imprisoned parents "Tells the story of prisoner's children - of their situation, problems and human rights - and how they are treated throughout the justice process from the arrest of a parent to imprisonment and release. Based on extensive research from across Europe, Scharff Smith argues that it is a paradox that we hail the family as a fundamental unit in our societies, and insist on regarding children as an especially valuable and vulnerable group of citizens, but at the same time break up families on a massive scale as a result of a conscious, planned and generally unquestioned policy of using imprisonment as a key sanction in the repertoire of punishments. Shedding light on various reform initiatives, this book assists in promoting good practice and improving the experience of children of imprisoned parents."--Provided by publisher There are millions of children experiencing parental imprisonment all over the world. This book is about their problems, human rights and how they are treated throughout the justice process from the arrest of a parent to imprisonment and release.