This study evaluated the family-inclusive case management component of the Chicago-based Safer Return program, which engages family members in service provision to former prisoners. Using qualitative and quantitative data, the research focused on the associations between family support and family members' and formerly incarcerated persons' short-term outcomes. The research found that family members have strong and positive relationships with their formerly incarcerated relatives. However, engaging families in the reentry process directly can be challenging because incarcerated persons are…
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Journal Article Approximately one in four incarcerated male young offenders in the UK is an actual or expectant father. This paper reviews evidence on the effectiveness of parenting interventions for male young offenders. We conducted systematic searches across 20 databases and consulted experts. Twelve relevant evaluations were identified: 10 from the UK, of programmes for incarcerated young offenders, and two from the US, of programmes for young parolees. None used experimental methods or included a comparison group. They suggest that participants like the courses, find them useful, and the interventions…
Brief
This research brief describes implementation findings from the evaluation of Responsible Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated and Reentering Fathers and Their Partners (MFS-IP). It documents approaches to teaching relationship skills among incarcerated and reentering fathers and their families. The multi-year implementation and impact evaluation of the MFS-IP grants is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Author abstract)
Research finds that children who have experienced the incarceration of a parent exhibit higher levels of antisocial behavior. Yet there are reasons to question whether this association is in fact causal, and research that empirically pins down mechanisms that explain any observed association is in high demand. We attempt to better account for unobserved heterogeneity by using children with fathers who will be incarcerated as a strategic comparison group. In addition, we look at two different outcomes in an effort to make inferences about why paternal incarceration may influence delinquency.…
High rates of incarceration in the United States have motivated a far-reaching literature examining the effects of parental incarceration on child wellbeing. Although a growing body of evidence documents challenges facing the children of incarcerated men, most incarcerated fathers lived apart from their children before their arrest, raising the question of whether they were sufficiently involved with their families for their incarceration to affect their children. We use the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N=4,071) to examine father involvement among incarcerated fathers, both…
The Urban Institute in conjunction with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) launched the Transition from Prison to the Community (TPC) initiative in 2001, recognizing the need to provide States with support and guidance in developing an effective reentry system to help prisoners prepare for their release, navigate their transition back to the community, and overcome short- and long-term barriers to reintegration. This model was implemented in a group of eight States from 2001 to 2009 and an extensive analysis on its findings was completed. This evaluation of the Transition from Prison…
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Journal Article The purpose of this qualitative study was to further the understanding of father identity and role development among adolescents involved in the justice system. Youth who were expecting a child or parenting an infant and who were incarcerated, arrested, or had admitted to criminal behavior participated in interviews and observations in a juvenile detention center and in the community. Data analysis revealed 4 patterns of fathering intentions: (a) embracing fatherhood, (b) being barred from fatherhood, (c) being ambivalent about fatherhood, or (d) rejecting fatherhood. Community health nurses…
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Journal Article The number of children of incarcerated parents in the U.S. has grown dramatically in recent years. These children appear to be at risk for various problems, and a number of family-focused preventive efforts have been attempted. The current study examines differences between incarcerated mothers, incarcerated fathers, and their families on factors that might be important to consider when creating the content and process of preventive intervention programs. Participants were 359 inmates (54% women; 41% minority) who were parents of children between the ages of 3 and 11 years and who parented…
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Journal Article The effect of fathers' incarceration on the well-being of children is an important concern, especially in the United States, a nation with uniquely high incarceration rates as well as a relatively weak and shrinking safety net. This study uses matched, longitudinal, administrative data from Wisconsin to estimate the effects of paternal imprisonment on child support and food stamp receipt by families with nonmarital children. The results illustrate the complex interactions among public policies. Paternal imprisonment reduces child support receipt and thereby undermines policies designed to…
Other
This practice guide draws on information gained from a research and assessment project by Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina that sought to identify key strategies for building the capacity and strength of North Carolina's fatherhood movement. The project involved the completion of a literature review on best practices and evidenced-based programs, an environmental scan of key national and local resources, and interviews with key stakeholders. Simultaneously, PCANC convened the Fatherhood Policy Committee, consisting of key stakeholders within State and community agencies that have been…
