NCJ Number
167713
Date Published
1994
Length
41 pages
Annotation
This Virginia study identifies the special needs of children with incarcerated parents in the State and provides helping professionals with a profile of the type of issues they may encounter when working with these children, their parents, or caregivers.
Abstract
The sample for this study consisted of incarcerated parents with children under the age of 18 years old who currently reside in Virginia. The parents were sampled from two State prisons -- the Greensville Correctional Center and the Virginia Correctional Center for Women -- and three local jails: Alexandria, Richmond, and Roanoke. Also interviewed were the persons providing care for the children. The needs assessment had five objectives. First, it determined who composes the population identified and where they reside. Second, it ascertained the conditions under which children and their caregivers currently live and their knowledge of available community resources. Third, it assessed the nature of the parent-child relationship prior to and during incarceration. Fourth, it addressed the potential development issues identified in the children studied and considered whether developmental issues differ depending on the gender of the incarcerated parents. Fifth, the assessment considered the programmatic implications based on study results. The findings show that a fundamental need for incarcerated parents and their families is information regarding resources available in their communities. Findings also show that most children lived with their incarcerated parent prior to incarceration, and most parents planned to reunite with their children after release; therefore, frequent visitation should be encouraged when appropriate. Community agencies can facilitate contact by providing transportation for visits, as well as support programs that address incarceration and visiting issues. A network of public and private service providers should coordinate services designed to reintegrate the incarcerated parent into the family, school, and community. Appended questionnaire and a listing of community resources for children with incarcerated parents