OVERVIEW

Although women still make a significantly smaller percentage of those in prison, the rate of growth of women in prison is higher than that of men. In particular, the incarceration rate for drug related crimes increased at twice the rate for women as for men.

The article shows that there may be a higher correlation between mothers in prison and the chances of incarceration for the daughters than between fathers and their sons. This means that statistically, young women are more at risk of following in the criminal footsteps of their mother, at a time when the incarceration rate of women is increasing.

The article notes that the study is still inconclusive and that more study is required. The preliminary results, however, do show a stronger connection between incarcerated mothers and daughters than imprisoned fathers and sons.

What is clear is that the emotional ties between mothers and daughters are so strong that they are less likely to be broken than those of the opposite sex by abuse, absenteeism, or criminality.

According to the article, "The connection between mothers and daughters is stronger than with sons...because boys must make break away from their mothers to become men. But for a girl, there’s never that break...Her mother is her identity."

The rise in women in prison is directly linked to the crack epidemic. More women are involved in peddling drugs, as large drug gangs employ women in the lower end of the business where the chances for arrests are higher and the chances for plea bargaining lower. Also, more women are arrested and incarcerated for crimes committed in attempts to obtain drugs, such as robbery and prostitution. There may be an serious epidemic that may claim the lives of a generation of women and their children.

These are the emotional words of Arnessa Hardin, whose mother Cynthia is in prison:

‘I wish you were here with me. Please hurry and come home,’ she writes. ‘I want a mother to let me know things.’ She also tries to be encouraging. ‘Mommy, please make your way through this time because now is all we have.’ But Arnessa is 15 and angry. ‘I know for a fact if you would have spent a little more time, I’d be a better person.’

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTIONS AND DISCUSSION

1. How do we serve young women who have lost their mothers to prison?
2. Positively and negatively, how has your mother influenced you? What would you lose by her absence?
3. What do these young women need?

IMPLICATIONS

1. This seems to be a problem that perpetuates itself and grows worse.
2. In thinking about young people in the inner city and other areas hit hard by the crack epidemic, there’s a need to fill the gaps left behind by absent mothers.

Kenny Ye cCYS