The Community Health Profiles For The Mott Haven And Melrose Neighborhoods

Over the last half-century, the United States has turned more and more frequently to the use of incarceration as a form of punishment. Sentencing policies and stricter laws requiring mandatory minimums for certain offenses, no matter the conditions of the offense, have boosted the incarceration rate in this country to staggering heights. The typical issues that affect America’s prison systems are reflected in Jennifer Gonnerman’s book, Life on the Outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett. Elaine Bartlett’s life, along with the lives of surrounding family and friends, is forever changed by her 16 years of incarceration. Elaine Bartlett is only one of many Americans that have been wronged by the cruel and unusual punishments implemented by a society claiming to have a fair, balanced, and equal justice system. A fair and balanced justice system that convicts people who carries the right amount of drugs in weight to have a mandatory incarceration for a minimum of 15 years to life, yet those who commit murder or rape may receive a lesser sentence. There is also the issue of transitioning back into society after being incarcerated for so many years. Incarceration does not just punish the offender; the offender’s family and friends are also negatively affected by the conviction and imprisonment of a loved one. Children could be put in the system or need to be raised by other members in the family. This could lead the children to deviate down the same path as their parent who

If charges are dropped or alternative sentencing is utilized, an individual may only be away from home for a few days or weeks. However, if an individual is convicted on severe charges, they could be imprisoned for many years. Although varying sentence lengths will have varying effects on families, all sentence lengths for parents will likely disrupt the family structure in ways that negatively affect the incarcerated parents, their children, and/or the parents or guardians caring for the children. Eddy and Poehlmann (2010) argue that, “Each parent-child separation represents moments of childhood that cannot be put on hold and missed life experiences that may be crucial for a child’s well-being and development” (p. xiii). The following literature review delves into research on the effects that parental incarceration has on the family unit and identifies factors which lessen or intensify the impact of such effects. Finally, I conclude the literature review by applying the presented research to the Montgomery County Collaboration Council’s Creating Healthy Bonds program, noting the extent to which areas of the programmatic structure do or do not address the effects of parental

When someone’s parent is put into prison, a new issue is added to the many that are already on that person’s plate. This is illustrated well when Goffman says, “we’re asking kids who live in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods, who have the least amount of family resources, who attend the country’s worst schools… were asking these kids to walk the thinnest possible line to basically never do anything wrong”(How we’re). The kids who are dealing with many issues are slowly being crushed by all the issues they go through with one being added each moment. They only do the things that they do to survive and the judicial system is not helping because it seems to target these kids. J. Mark Eddy, a licensed Psychologist, and Jean Mollenkamp Kjellstrand, from Columba University, states that “The incarceration of a parent is not often the start of the problems for a child and family, but rather a continuation… characterized by poverty, social disadvantage, unstable home life, substance abuse difficulties, mental health problems, abuse, trauma, and community violence” (552). This is just saying when kids are put through all these difficulties, they are more likely to fill that hurt with drugs, hurting someone or themselves, crimes, and even suicide. All these things can cause emotional trauma because it was already hard enough to live happy then now their parent went to jail and just made it even tougher. It just seems as if weights are slowly being added to them until they can’t resist to do something illegal. Neglecting the kids that have parents that are in prison will only cause them to replace their parents when the time comes. According to Richard J. Coley, the director of the Educational Testing Service Center for Research on Human Capital and Education, and Paul E. Barton, an education writer and consultant, children who have a parent who is

My papers purpose is to inform the reader of the ever increasing number of U.S children with incarcerated parents. According to Department of Justice data African American children are nine time more likely than white children to have incarcerated parents, A number double that of what was reported in 1991 Most children of incarcerated parents live in poverty before, during and after their paren't incarceration( Johnston 1995).The social consequences of not meeting the need of these children and their non incarcerated parent will come to the attention of social workers in array of fields of practice. This includes child welfare, mental health and child development, crimminal justice , schools and the juvenile justice system.

Studies have shown time and time again that when a parent is sentenced, the child and families are also the individuals who are being sentenced. When the unfortunate process of incarceration begins, the initial procedure of separation creates mental

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

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.

Increased incarceration rates negatively distress African Americans families and children. Per Clear (2008) parental incarceration causes strain in social relationships, and increases the economic strain on families (p.102). In African American families, men are the providers in the household. When the man is detained, the resources that he provides to the family is no longer available. Consequently, mothers must now find additional resources to compensate for his absence. Research conducted by Schwartz-Sorcher, Geller, and Garfunkel (2014), examined the effects of paternal incarceration on the material well-being of families. Using data from the Fragile Families & Child Well-Being survey, they found that paternal incarceration increases material

The International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies article titled, “Incarcerated Mothers and Fathers: How their Absences Disrupt Children’s High School Graduation” by Huynh-Hohnbaum, Bussell, and Lee (2015) details a great deal of research on how parental incarceration affects the children in regards to education. Lately, along with the entire justice system, parental incarceration has also been scrutinized for its effects on the children of incarcerated parents and how well they do in school as well as the other effects an incarcerated parent has on other aspects of a child’s life. Huynh-Hohnbaum, Bussell and Lee (2015) point out that having an incarcerated mother seems to have a greater effect on a child, but having either parent

The nation’s jail population is at an all-time high and this has raised a series of questions about the collateral effects it will have on children, families, and the community. The number of parents being incarcerated has increased dramatically and the privatization of this institution indicates that the number of children growing up without their parents due to incarceration will continue to rise. As the number increases, generalist practitioners must prepare themselves to deal with this emerging trend. So as new trends emerge, generalist practitioners

America has the highest prevalence of jailing its citizens. Nearly 2.3 million Americans are behind bars or nearly one percent of the adult population at any given time (Campbell, Vogel, & Williams, 2015). As of 2014, African Americans make up 34% of the incarcerated population. As a result, a disproportionate amount of African American youth will experience a parent’s incarceration. Research has shown that children of incarcerated parents experience emotional problems, socioeconomic problems, and cognitive disturbances (Miller, 2007). In this paper, I will discuss the impact of mass incarceration in the African American community and its effect on African American children.

Sometimes the effects are beneficial, for example when an abusive, negligent or violent parent is incarcerated, thus removing the risk of harm from the household. However, sometimes the effects are detrimental, and the child faces mental illness, behavioural problems, failure in school, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and many other problems (Simmons). A child that witnesses the crimes and/or the arrest of their parent might experience flashbacks about their parents crimes or arrests (Simmons). A child might also be bullied in school because his/her child is never present for school events such as family day because he is in prison. Additionally, parental incarceration can result in an increased likelihood that the child will commit offences, either in adolescence or adulthood. According to the Women’s Prison & Home Association, Inc., “Children of offenders are five times more likely than their peers to end up in prison themselves. One in 10 will have been incarcerated before reaching adulthood,” (Simmons). Unfortunately, these negative effects are more prevalent in males. Because it is more likely that a father would be incarcerated, the male child no longer has a male role model and father figure in his life. In both male and female children, the negative effects of parental incarceration results in children engaging in dangerous, illegal activities as a way to cope. These activities include stealing, underage

Where parents and their children reside can have a huge impact on their lives in many different aspects. Children with parents that are incarcerated, are typically raised in poor and poverty stricken neighborhoods. “Of course there are middle-class and even some wealthy offenders, but when proportioned, over 90 percent of offenders are what we would define as poor” (Maier 93). “Poverty is the big background picture, the framework, the major context for crime, criminal behavior, and incarceration” (Maier 93). Although it may not be preventable, living in areas where crime occurs so regularly and drugs are at such easy access, it is hard for these parents to avoid it all and they end up falling short to the temptation of it all. So for those living in

Being the child of an incarcerated parent has substantial amounts of negative influences on youth today. As young children, many consider their parents as role models. Someone who they can confide in, someone who will preserve them, and someone who will guide them through life. For most youngsters having an incarcerated parent, means that their admirable example in life is absent. Not having a parent present in one's childhood leads to innumerable negative outcomes and impacts.

Teen delinquency can also arise when a teen’s parent is incarcerated. Teens that have a parent in prison are affected emotionally, behaviorally and psychologically (Johnson 461). The incarceration of a parent can gravely affect an individual because the parent is not prevalent throughout the teen’s life. The teen then becomes angry and acts out because they have so much emotional pain bottled up inside. “The children of incarcerated parents are at a high risk for a number of negative behaviors that can lead to school failure, delinquency, and intergenerational incarceration” (Simmons 10). Teens with incarcerated parents lack the assistance of parental figures. In True Notebooks, Sister Janet says that the incarcerated teens never had anyone to lead them in the right path or show that adults care about them. She says that because of the lack of direction the teens never had the opportunity to do better for themselves (Salzman 26). There is also a major cycle that exists between incarcerated parents and their children that puts these teens at risk. On April 10th of 2008, a conference at Bryant University was held to discuss the concerning issues of teens with incarcerated parents. During the conference, Patricia Martinez, director of the Rhode Island Department of Children: Youth and families stated that “We want to break the cycle of intergenerational crime. I have heard of so many caseloads managing 18-year-olds who had a parent