ISSN: 2151-0806
Seymour and Hairston offered a good group scholarly analysis on how children of incarcerated parents are treated within the government system. They looked at the existing public policies, foster care, and other welfare services. They stressed that a lot more resources and services need to be implemented to assist children of imprisoned parents, including greater prison wages and child support, better telephone and mail communications, and the perennial recommendation of more and better visitation practices (Seymour & Hairston, 2001). Boswell and Wedge’s book provided us an international perspective on parental incarceration and its effects on children. They examined the United Kingdom’s efforts and policies in dealing with facilitating and minimizing the damage of parental incarceration. They pointed out a number of differences but in sum recognized that the same types of negative effects on children of the incarcerated happen in countries across the ocean (Boswell & Wedge, 2002). Travis and Waul compiled a group of powerful and comprehensive writings on incarceration, prisoner reentry, and the effects they have on children. They offered a very good collection of analyses with up-to-date information on parental incarceration. A number of interesting recommendations are made, including the older (previously mentioned) suggestion of allowing children to be housed at the corrections facilities and improving contact between the incarcerated parents and their children (Travis & Waul, 2003). Bernstein’s book took a straightforward account of the very negative effects of parental incarceration on children. He used real-life examples and statements in presenting his case against the current system of parental incarceration. He presented a strong argument against the breakdown of families under the current prison and social policies. He made a number of good recommendations to help children of incarcerated parents, including greater protection and social support mechanisms, better visitation policies, abolishing the prison phone tax, adding more specialized services and skills to child welfare agencies, and greater financial support for families who lose their primary income provider (Bernstein, 2005). Assisting Children of Incarcerated Parents: The Layout In today’s world of mass incarceration in the United States and the extremely high recidivist rate, one would expect the United States’ policymakers and citizens to have evaluated thoroughly and comprehensively the overall effects of such a prison nation, especially on the children and future generation of America. Unfortunately, relatively little research has been done at the policymaking level on the negative consequences and collateral damage on the children of incarcerated adults. After several decades of mass incarceration, a whole new generation of youth are emerging that have been seriously hurt by one or more parents being incarcerated for most of their lives. If the existing research is correct and many of these new adults and teenagers are as maladjusted as some research has shown, then we can be heading towards a much worse crime rate. The culmination of children following in their parents’ footsteps with little choice or awareness and, moreover, joining a very combustible and already overcrowded prison system, is a staggering thought to comprehend, let alone try to deal with at this late stage in the game, so to speak.
Peace Studies Journal, Vol. 6, Issue 3, July 2013
Page 172