The Effects of Incarceration
on Children
Children experience adversity differently, especially those who have experienced their mother be incarcerated. The authors examined in this paper research the effects on children with incarcerated mothers. It has been researched that children who have incarcerated mothers are more likely to overcome adversity differently than children who have not had an incarcerated mother. Children with incarcerated mothers are more prone to poor internal and external behaviors. They may also show signs of poor sleep and eating habits. Studies highlighted in this paper have found that these issues may be lessened through programs for children and their mothers.
Parke, R. D., & Clarke-Stewart, A. (2017, March 23). Effects of Parental Incarceration on Young Children. Retrieved from https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/effects-parental-incarceration-young-children
Children can have more critical effects depending on the parent that is incarcerated and state of the child’s home life. In this study, most children experienced separation from the mother than separation from the father. This study analyzes the short-term and long-term effects that children suffer from when a parent is incarcerated. Short-term effects include suffering from the arrest itself and suffering from the lack of knowledge about the arrest. Children that are present at the time of their mother’s arrest experience nightmares and flashbacks to the incident. Children who are denied factual information about their mother’s incarceration, suffer from anxiety and fear.
The long-term effects that children face when their mothers are incarcerated vary depending on the age and developmental level of the child. Most women who are pregnant at the time of their incarceration are only allowed a few days with their child before they must return to prison. This does not allow the child to bond with their mother and may result in the child having emotional and behavioral problems. Young children who are separated from their mothers are susceptible to having poor relationships and cognitive abilities. School-age children are also susceptible to having poor relationships and being bullied due to their mother’s incarceration.
Martin, E. (2017, March). Hidden Consequences: The Impact of Incarceration on Dependent Children. Retrieved from https://www.nij.gov/journals/278/Pages/impact-of-incarceration-on-dependent-children.aspx
This article reports the effects that dependent children face when a parent is incarcerated. Each child is different and may react differently in to the situation. It analyzes the psychological and antisocial behaviors that children endure. These difficult behaviors may lead to depression and aggression. Many children ultimately struggle in school and are more likely to participate in criminal activity.
The author describes interesting facts of solutions to minimize the potential risks that children with incarcerated parents may face. Children who experience a parent become incarcerated, must face adversity. Each child will face this adversity differently. A child’s needs and relationship with the incarcerated parent should be taken into account when planning to help the child. The support systems around the child should also be considered.
Dallaire, D. H., Zeman, J. L., & Thrash, T. M. (2015). Children’s Experiences of Maternal Incarceration-Specific Risks: Predictions to Psychological Maladaptation. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4256130/
This study examines children with incarcerated mothers and their specific risk factors that harm their psychological behavior. A child who has experienced their mother become incarcerated, are much more likely to internalize and externalize behavioral problems. They are less likely to succeed in their education and are more likely to end up in the prison system.
The internal behaviors such as depression were moderate in children. The external behaviors were more intense. Children who have incarcerated mothers are more likely to participate in both extreme and mild risky behaviors. They would commit crimes such as underage smoking (cigarettes) to more severe behaviors such as setting fire to a building. An interesting fact that this study found was that more children externalized their behavior rather than internalized it.
Casey, E. C., Shlafer, R. J., & Masten, A. S. (2015, October 1). Parental Incarceration as a Risk Factor for Children in Homeless Families. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4606874/
This study observes children who are either homeless or highly mobile and have incarcerated mothers. The relationship between the incarcerated mother and the child’s state are closely examined to see if they correlate. Children of incarcerated parents and children who have never experienced their parent’s incarceration are compared to find the risk factors associated with incarceration.
It was found that children who have not had a parent become incarcerated were not negatively affected like those who did have this experience. Children of incarcerated parents were reported to struggle academically, socially, and have significant behavioral problems. Children of both homeless and incarcerated parents are at a greater risk of negative life events such as remaining homeless, becoming involved in crime and leaving school. Unfortunately, this article did not examine the difference between parents who are incarcerated in jail or prison.
Wildeman, C. (2018, July 12). Children of Incarcerated Parents. Retrieved from https://research.cornell.edu/news-features/children-incarcerated-parents
This researcher analyzes the demographics of parents who are arrested and what this does to their children. This study compares white and African American children who have been exposed to their parent becoming incarcerated. African American children are more likely to experience negative behaviors from having an incarcerated parent. African American children are more likely to become homeless than white children. It was also discovered that African American children have more intense behavior problems.
Wildeman finds it beneficial to focus on the disparities that mothers face before they become incarcerated. The focus on helping children with incarcerated mothers should not come after their mothers have been incarcerated, it should come before. Intervention before incarceration allows the child to have an opportunity at having a better life. This study concluded with a fact that differed from many other studies. A child’s wellbeing when a mother is incarcerated is not affected. Children who were having behavioral problems are not experiencing these due to their mother’s incarceration. It is occurring due to pre-existing disadvantages that the children were faced with.
National Institute of Corrections. (2018, June 26). Children of Incarcerated Parents. Retrieved from https://nicic.gov/children-of-incarcerated-parents
The purpose of this article is to highlight the Children of Incarcerated Parents (COIPD) project. This article highlights the benefits of intervention on both the mother and their children. This project is designed to help manage the stigma associated with children after their parent has become incarcerated. Children are able to confide in the staff of the COIPD project for a way to vent and cope with their parent’s incarceration.
This author describes the importance of this project and what it can do for the parents who are being incarcerated and their children. This project will focus on stopping the cycle of crime by working with parents and children at the time of the arrest until the parent is released. Intervening with parents before they commit a crime can have a positive lifelong effect on their children.
McGee, Z., Davis, B. L., Saunders-Goldson, S., Fletcher, M., & Fisher, L. (2017, January 7). The Impact of Maternal Incarceration on Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes: Research Findings from a National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/109e/8ff4d555c5a2bdcc4bdb1a9c6a7da6338b43.pdf
This article examines the incarceration rate of the United States, which is the highest in the world. Among these inmates, millions of them have children. Children in their youth who had parents incarcerated during that time were very likely to become incarcerated themselves in adulthood.
Children whose mother becomes incarcerated are more likely to experience problem behaviors and delinquency. The lack of stability creates poor social behaviors among children as well, making them less likely to complete school. Children also become more vulnerable to drug use. It is used as a coping method for dealing with the incarceration of their mother. Children become more susceptible to health conditions due to maternal incarceration. This is due to stressors of having a mother incarcerated as a child.
Burgess-Proctor, A., Huebner, B. M., & Durst, J. M. (2016, May 9). Comparing the Effects of Maternal and Paternal Incarceration on Adult Daughters' and Sons' Criminal Justice System Involvement. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0093854816643122?casa_token=AyhHbUnijTgAAAAA:HvV9Q-w1o_GCTnm8zRMexnNRajroCNzkebm2PNLPO7_PufAiRCc6cgzgXoAiQ3AkVT5z-TVNPD8j
This article describes the research of the effects that maternal and paternal incarceration has on children. It is a highly researched topic but lacks the research to determine whether there is a difference in effect depending on if the mother or father is incarcerated. The authors of this article describe the difference in the incarceration rate between men and women, adding that women are becoming more incarcerated than men. More shocking statistics prove that children with mothers being incarcerated are increasing at two times more than children with fathers being incarcerated. These statistics support the hypothesis that children are being shaped by their mother’s incarceration.
It was found that children with incarcerated mothers are more likely to experience adult arrest. Adult daughters were even more likely to become arrested if their mother was. Incarceration rates also rise for children to experience as adults if their mother was incarcerated. Maternal incarceration increases the odds of the child committing a crime and having behavioral problems.
Jackson, D. B., & Vaughn, M. G. (2017, April 07). Parental Incarceration and Child Sleep and Eating Behaviors. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002234761730375X
This study observes the sleep and eating pattern that a child may show after a parent has become incarcerated. Children may exhibit sleep problems such as nightmares or sleep for short periods of times. They sleep problems and nightmares may be associated with post-traumatic stress disorder that the child is facing due to their mothers incarceration. They may also consume more unhealthy foods that contain high levels of salt, sugar, and starch. The consumption of these foods may be linked as a coping method for the children.
It was found that children who experience a parent become incarcerated are at high risk for developing poor sleep and eating behaviors as a child. It was also found that children who experience both parents become incarcerated at even greater risk for developing these poor patterns. Poor sleep at eating behavior put children at risk of poor health and wellbeing as a child and as they grow.
Warner, J. (2015). Infants in Orange: An International Model-Based Approach Prison Nurseries. Hastings Women's Law Journal,26(1), 65-92.
A different approach to prevent negative effects on children with incarcerated mothers is prison nurseries. Warner examines women who become incarcerated during their pregnancy. U.S. women are typically separated from their children within a few days of giving birth, meaning, that these women are taken to the hospital to give birth and then return to prison without having the chance to have a real introduction to their child.
Prison nurseries give a woman the opportunity to be a parent to her newborn child while being incarcerated. This is only for a particular period of time and is not very common. These women are only able to keep their children if they did not commit a violent crime or commit any type of child abuse. This allows the mother and child to create a bond, which could minimize the risk of having anti-social behaviors later in life. It can also minimize the likelihood of the child having behavioral problems or dropping out of school.
Conclusion
From this research, it is clear that the incarceration of mothers is having an effect on children. The mass incarceration in the United States is taking a toll on the children living within these homes. The research between maternal and paternal separation has yet to be researched thoroughly but seems to show signs of greater negative effects of maternal separation. Internal and external problems are not found in each child because all children handle adversity differently. However, it is very common for children to become involved in criminal activities, drugs, and as adults become arrested or incarcerated themselves. Intervention is a home that is at risk for the mother becoming incarcerated can benefit the child. Some studies have even promoted prison nurseries that allow the child to create a bond with the mother. This may help to prevent future behavioral problems.