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Collateral Consequences of Imprisonment for Children, Communities, and Prisoners (From Prisons, P 121-162, 1999, Michael Tonry, Joan Petersilia, eds. -- See NCJ-179472)

NCJ Number
179476
Author(s)
John Hagan; Ronit Dinovitzer
Date Published
1999
Length
42 pages
Annotation
This analysis of the collateral costs and consequences of imprisonment emphasizes the impacts on inmates' children as well on former prisoners and communities and recommends systematic research on the losses in human and social capital due to the effects on prisoners' children.
Abstract
Analyses of the effects of the United States experiment with vastly increased use of imprisonment as a penal sanction typically focus on crime reduction and public spending. Collateral effects have received little attention. However, imprisonment significantly reduces later employment rates and incomes of former prisoners. Large fractions of young men in many urban communities attain prison records and are thus made less able to contribute to their communities and families. Less is known about the effects of a parent's imprisonment on children's development. However, mainstream theories provide grounds for predicting that those effects are substantial and deleterious. Penal policy will continue to be set in ignorance of important ramifications of alternative policy options until research begins to clarify these issues. This research should address the impact of parental imprisonment on children of various ages, include guardians and stepparents as well as biological parents, include parents who receive noncustodial as well as prison sentences. The research will be more useful if it includes the possibility of panel measurement before and after the imprisonment of a parent. It also needs to incorporate comprehensive and detailed measurement of background differences between imprisoned and unimprisoned families and their children to account for ways in which these two groups differ prior to a parent's imprisonment. 155 references

Grant Number(s)
96-CE-VX-K001
Sponsoring Agency
National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Address

999 N. Capitol St. NE, Washington, DC 20531, United States

US Dept of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
Address

810 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531, United States

Sale Source
University of Chicago Press
Address

1427 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, United States

Publication Format
Book (Hardbound)
Publication Type
Issue Overview
Language
English
Country
United States of America
Note
*This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.