The Negative Impact Of Incarceration On Children

The United States’ ever-expanding prison and jail population has brought about many questions regarding the side-effects of mass incarceration, namely involving the effects on the children and families from which those incarcerated are removed. Regardless of the perspectives on the appropriate position of incarceration in the criminal justice system, imprisonment disrupts many positive and nurturing relationships between parents and their children. In fact, more than 1.7 million children have a parent who is incarcerated in a state or federal prison as of 2007 (Glaze & Maruschak, 2008). These youths are at risk for developing behavior and school problems in addition to insecure attachment relationships. Parental incarceration, which may also be coupled with economic disadvantage and inconsistent living arrangements (Geller, Garfinkel, Cooper, & Mincy, 2009) can be an extremely difficult experience for children. It should come as no surprise that families with children suffer economic strain and instability when a parent is imprisoned, considering how each parent in today’s world typically needs to set aside time to earn an income to support their family, and most are unable to support their homes on one income. While it may be considered intrusive to some to intervene in the lives of children and families with incarcerated parents, research has suggested that there are positive societal benefits to intervening in the lives of incarcerated parents and their

Today prisons are overcrowded and over two million Americans, male, and female are sitting in jail or prison, and two thirds of those people incarcerated are parents (U.S. Department of Justice). Approximately two million of these children are separated from their mom or dad because of incarceration of which these are the custodial parent. These children suffer from poverty, inconsistency in caregivers, separation from siblings, reduced education, increased risk for substance abuse, alcoholism and incarceration themselves.

The collateral consequences of mass incarceration are effects in an inmate’s community, social life, employment, wages, and family life. The separation of an inmate from their family causes many struggles to occur in the household such as the inability to become financially stable for their partners, a loss of connection with their partner and children, living with a social stigma, and divorce or separation. Even after an inmate gets out of prison, their life is still impacted from being incarcerated. Because of the stigma that comes with being incarcerated, “ex-offenders” find it hard to either find a job, maintain a job, or get a job with a decent amount of pay. These consequences contribute to inequality through establishing a type of status on an individual. By becoming an inmate or even before they are imprisoned, inmates’ deal with Lower-class family issues and stigmas that stick with them for life.

Over the past forty years the increased of mass incarceration within the Federal Bureau of Prisons has increased more than 700 percent since the 1970’s, between the different type of ethnicity. Billions of dollars have spent to house offenders and to maintain their everyday life from rehabilitation programs, academic education, vocational training, substance abuse programs and medical care. The cost of incarceration climbs according to the level of security based on violent and non-violent crimes. Fewer staff is required in minimum and medium-security prisons that house low-level offenders. Incarceration is likely to serves as one indicator of other co-occurring risks and vulnerabilities that makes families particularly fragile. Mass incarceration is likely to increase if awareness is not implicated to reduce the rate of imprisonment and broken families to take back their communities and reclaim their hope for the future.

In America we sometimes house juveniles and adults in the same prison system. In the state of Wisconsin in 2014, we have incarcerated 121 minors into the adult system. While incarcerating these juveniles in the prison system some may wonder how does it affect a juvenile, Also what problems do they face while in prison and lastly, how has their life change for better or worse after they are released back into society.

In December 2013, President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of eight federal inmates. Each had been convicted of nonviolent crack cocaine offenses, and six of whom were serving life sentences (Miles 2014). The surge in the prison population of the United States of America can be attributed to changes in sentencing and policies that created stricter laws and harsher punishments for offenders. For the last half-century, America’s attempts to get tough on crime and wage a war on drugs have landed the U.S. the highest spot on the worldwide charts in regards to prison population; only in recent years has the rate of incarceration changed course, tracking a slow, steady downward trail. Incarceration is supposed to be punishment as rehabilitation, yet it has become the primary response to crime. It is simply punishment, greatly lacking in any true form of rehabilitation

According to Welch “Race has emerged as a powerful predictor of arrest, incarceration, and release among minority youths” (271). Statistics at the community and national level show the cumulative impact of racial disparities through each decision point in the juvenile justice system. The impact of incarceration on the blacks’ youth has a wide-ranging effects of the race to incarcerate on African American communities in particular is a phenomenon that is only beginning to be investigate. What does that mean to a community, for example, to know that four out of ten boys growing up will spend time in prison? The images and values are communicated to young people who see the prisoner as the most prominent pervasive role model in the community;

In the last 42 years little to no changes have been made to correct the standards that govern punitive measures towards juvenile delinquency. Today juvenile law is governed by state and many states have enacted a juvenile code. However, in numerous cases, juveniles are transferred to adult court when juvenile courts waive or relinquish jurisdiction. Adolescents should not be tried in the adult court system or sentenced to adult penitentiary's on account of: teen brains are not mature which causes a lack of understanding towards the system, incarceration in an adult facility increases juvenile crime, and children that are sentenced to adult prison are vulnerable to abuse and rape.

more likely to successfully transform their behaviors due to rehabilitation. Second, due to the distinction that juvenile crime is often a result of “unfortunate yet transient immaturity,” a youth offender is deemed to be more likely to reject future involvement in criminal behavior as the youth transitions into adulthood. The realistic possibility that many, if not most youths will grow out of their involvement in illegal activity, points to the reality that long criminal sentences cannot be justified by the need to ensure public safety. In essence, long term incarceration of youth does not often achieve the preventative purposes of criminal justice. In Graham and Miller, SCOTUS emphatically determined that life without the opportunity for parole does not offer youth offenders a semblance of opportunity for reform. In most juveniles, the Court emphasizes, reform will be achieved through rehabilitative efforts coupled with maturity.

For many incarcerated mothers, many of their children are also left behind due to their imprisonment. Many children face finical struggles due to their mother being in prison and some may even be placed under the state and placed in foster care. Women are denied authority and power of their own children’s well beings which can lead to juvenile delinquency, failing grades, and even sexual abuse. Parenting classes, employment training, counseling, and other alternative treatment options may not only help lower recidivism rates but may also help strengthen families and communities.

The United States leads the world in the incarceration of young people, there are over 100,000 youth placed in jail each year. Locking up youth has shown very little positive impact on reducing crime. Incarcerating youth have posed greater problems such as expenses, limited education, lack of employment, and effect on juveniles’ mental and physical well-being.

To many people in society, the impact of imprisonment on the families of the incarcerated is a matter of little to no importance (Breen, 2008, pg. 59). However, there are many consequences for not only the prisoner but for the spouses and children they are leaving behind (Turanovic et al, 2012, pg. 914). The unintended punishment of prisoner’s families has led them to become the hidden or forgotten victims of crime (Breen, 2008, pg. 60). Rising levels of incarceration has led to unexpected outcomes and consequences for prisoner’s families (Christian et al, 2006, pg. 443). When Family members of prisoners have described their experiences, they often mention that they feel they are serving a prison sentence alongside their incarcerated family

Parental incarceration contains strong risk factors for psychopathology, which includes antisocial behaviour. It can also threaten childrens attachment issues, due to restricted contact with the incarcerated parent, and unstable care giving arrangements. Having an incarcerated parent can also produce a stigma which in turn can lead to having negative effects on the children, i.e. in school.

Incarceration on individuals can either have a negative or positive effect on the outcome of a person’s life. There are many different trails that people go through when they are incarcerated. Depending on their situations, it can either help change them for the better or take them backwards. The question is does being incarcerated affect recidivism?

Recidivism is when someone returns to the same behavior that they were previously doing (Unruh, Gau, & Waintrup, 2009). There are many factors that raise the risk of juvenile recidivism such as single parenting, and even when the parents become involved in drug use. When juveniles become high risk for recidivism it is important that the adults whether it be the parents, teachers or any adult in authority step in to help the juvenile to make better choices. By an adult taking an interest in the child it can prevent them from falling into a group that becomes high risk. From 1984 through 1997 a 71% there was a rise in crimes committed by juveniles that were also violent offences