Impacts to Children of Incarcerated Parents

Trauma

Children of incarcerated parents may face a range of traumatic experiences as a result of

• – Events related to a parent’s arrest
• – Witnessing violence in their communities or directly in their household
• – Exposure to drug and/or alcohol abuse
• – Involvement in the child welfare system

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Poverty

Children of incarcerated parents are generally more likely to face sustained poverty because

• – When a family’s economic security is disrupted, their ability to provide housing, healthcare, and food suffers
• – Family members who step in to raise the children of incarcerated parents often face financial hardships themselves
• – A household income drops an average of 22% when fathers are incarcerated

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Mental Health

• – Children of incarcerated parents are at a high risk of developing psychological and emotional problems. Many children
• – Suffer from antisocial behavior, anxiety, and depression
• – Have trouble accessing and receiving mental health services

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Potential Activities to Address These Issues

Make it easier for a child to visit an incarcerated parent – especially since prisons are generally not near where the child lives

• – Make it easier to communicate on a regular basis with an incarcerated parent
• – Establish a more effective mentoring program
• – Ensure a more nurturing environment in the schools

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Our Opportunity: An Overview of the Criminal Justice System 

Prodigal Project: The Opportunities in Hiring the Formerly Incarcerated