Divorce is a stressful process for families. One parent being incarcerated further complicates several aspects of the family relationship, such as communication, custody arrangements, child support, and relationship maintenance. This guide is part of a series aimed at helping families in which parents are separated or divorcing and who share parenting responsibilities for children.
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Journal Article This study extended work on the consequences of incarceration for families by linking parents’ incarcerations to their material support of children entering adulthood. It examined two categories of support, parental transfers of cash and shared housing, that are known deficits among young children of incarcerated parents and that play important roles in young adult attainment and well-being. Propensity score analyses of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N [Wave3] = 14,023; N [Wave4] = 14,361) revealed that previously incarcerated mothers were less likely to give…
This report explores the impact of parental incarceration on children, families, and communities and recommends policies and practices that put the needs of children of incarcerated parents first. It emphasizes the need for on correctional systems, communities, and state and local public agencies to help stabilize families and preserve their connections during incarceration and successfully move forward once parents come home. Characteristics of incarcerated parents and their children are described, as well as the following impacts of incarceration: an added financial burden, a blow to child…
