NCJ Number
62825
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 261-266
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY OF 22 CHILDREN AGES 5 THROUGH 15 INDICATES THAT CHILDREN OF PRISONERS APPEAR TO BE RELATIVELY ISOLATED FROM THE USUAL SOCIAL AND PEER RELATIONSHIPS.
Abstract
THE CHILDREN VISITING THEIR IMPRISONED FATHERS AT THE OREGON STATE PENITENTIARY WERE INTERVIEWED FOR 30 MINUTES TO EVALUATE SUCH FACTORS AS THE CHILD'S OVERALL MOOD, THE QUALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHILD AND THE IMPRISONED FATHER, THE CHILD'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE REASONS FOR IMPRISONMENT, AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE VISITS THEMSELVES. ALL THE CHILDREN HAD HAD EXTENSIVE CONTACT WITH THEIR PARENT PRIOR TO SEPARATION. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS INDICATED THAT CHILDREN OF PRISONERS WERE RELATIVELY ISOLATED FROM THE USUAL SOCIAL AND PEER RELATIONSHIPS. IN ADDITION, THE CHILDREN ALSO EXPERIENCED INNER CONFLICT OVER THE IMPRISONMENT ITSELF WITH CONSEQUENT SEPARATION FROM, AND PUNISHMENT OF, THE PARENT. VISITATION WAS AN IMPORTANT LINK OF CONTINUITY IN THEIR PATERNAL RELATIONSHIP AND MAY ALSO HAVE COUNTERACTED INITIAL FRIGHT ABOUT THE PRISON. THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT EMPIRICAL DATA NEED TO BE COLLECTED FROM LARGER SAMPLES TO EVALUATE SUCCESSFULLY THE PSYCHOSOCIAL REACTIONS IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO PRISONER-PARENT CONTACTS. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (MJW)