Bringing hope to children of incarcerated parents: Short report.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of parents in prison increased significantly during the 1990s. Parental incarceration and the disruption of family relationships have several negative effects on children, including poverty, poor academic performance, aggression, depression, delinquency, and substance abuse. However, parenting programs can help mothers and fathers in prison to strengthen attachments to their children and protect them from risk behaviors. Effective family dynamics also can reduce recidivism for parents after their release from prison. The Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network sponsored a roundtable to discuss the characteristics and promising practices of programs for incarcerated parents. A full report about the roundtable will be published separately.