Effects of Parental Incarceration on Young Children

Effects of Parental Incarceration on Young Children 

by Ross Parke and K. Alison Clarke-Stewart (published by the Urban Institute, 2002)

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Summary:

This paper was prepared for the “From Prison to Home” Conference held January 30-31, 2002sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It examines the impact of parental incarceration on children’s well-being and development, to determine just what is happening to the children of incarcerated parents.

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

The paper addresses the “scope of the problem” by citing statistics about the patterns and demographics of both the children and the parents. It identifies factors that determine how the child will react to parental incarceration. This is helpful information for practitioners as they seek to identify actions that could mitigate the negative effects of parental incarceration.  The paper also offers brief case studies of several programs and discusses the challenges of establishing evaluation systems for assessing different types of interventions. It concludes with a section of public policy analysis relevant to incarceration issues.