Parenting Education and Incarcerated Fathers

ABSTRACT

Incarcerated fathers or men in the role of father or surrogate father in the US are approaching rates that could be considered epidemic in proportion. Children are adversely affected by the absense of fathers. Some authors, researchers, and government view fatherhood as an incarcerated fathers have not been considered a viable intervention. This study explores the efficacy of programmed parenting interventions for incarcerated men.     

Pregnant in prison: An integrative literature review

BackgroundPregnant women in prisons are recognised as a marginalised group. However, there is a limited understanding of the women’s unique maternity needs and how correctional institutions and maternity service providers respond to these needs.AimThe aims of the review are threefold.

• 1.Identify pregnant women’s needs during the antenatal, birthing and postnatal periods in prison.
• 2.Examine how the pregnant incarcerated women’s needs are met by the correctional institutions.
• 3.Explore what maternity services are available and how these services are provided.

MethodAn integrative literature review was undertaken. A comprehensive search strategy using seven electronic databases resulted in the retrieval of 363 articles. Of them, 32 peer-reviewed studies met the final selection criteria and were included in this review which utilised the Critical Appraisal Skills Program tools and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart. Thematic analysis identified universal themes.FindingsThree dominant themes emerged related to the experience of pregnant women in prison: (1) risks and vulnerability factors; (2) prison enablers and supports; and (3) prison barriers. Extant research on risks and vulnerability factors is disproportionate to research examining how prisons can enable or obstruct responding to the women’s perinatal needs. Limited research on the midwifery support available to the women in prison is available. Significantly, only two out of 32 reviewed papers include research directly conducted with the pregnant women in prison.ConclusionPregnant women in prisons have complex needs. More research is required to understand how prisons can enhance the pregnancy experience by engaging pregnant women in prisons as research participants.     

Effects of a Solution-Focused Mutual Aid Group for Hispanic Children of Incarcerated Parents

Children of incarcerated parents are five to six times more likely to go to prison than their peers (Johnston, 1995). Yet, there is a lacuna in the literature that examines the effectiveness of interventions for children with an incarcerated family member. The purpose of the present study is to describe a solution-focused, mutual aid group intervention and to examine the effects of the group on the self-esteem of elementary-age Hispanic children of incarcerated parents when compared to a no-treatment comparison group. Implications for social work practice and research with this vulnerable population are addressed.     

Fathers in Prison

ABSTRACT

The parenting roles and responsibilities of incarcerated men have not traditionally been considered an important public concern. The impact of criminal justice policies and practices on family functioning has rarely been addressed by policy makers or family scholars and men's family obligations have not been a priority for the individuals responsible for the safety and security of correctional institutions. Similarly, and with few exceptions, fathers in prison have been out of sight and out of mind of community organizations concerned with family life and children's wellbeing. Several recent developments challenge this historical approach to handling parental incarceration and responsible fatherhood initiatives involving incarcerated fathers are being promoted. This article examines the individual and societal issues that must be addressed if responsible fatherhood among incarcerated men is to become a serious social goal. It presents an overview of the complex family roles and relationships of incarcerated men and describes ways in which individual situations and family preferences affect their ability to function as parents. Analyses of prison location strategies and communication regulations and the post-release environment are used to show how public policies influence and shape family relationships and responsible fatherhood. The article concludes with an agenda for research to guide informed and humane policy decisions.     

Justice towards youth: Investigating the mismatch between current policy and public opinion

In this article, we present evidence that public perceptions within the United States are not as supportive of the harsh treatment afforded juveniles as public policy would suggest. Based on data from a representative state-wide survey, we used path analysis to investigate whether respondents' understanding and beliefs surrounding child and adolescent development were related to their beliefs surrounding appropriate levels of punishment towards juveniles. We estimated direct and indirect pathways whereby factors such as the age at which a respondent considers a youth responsible for his/her actions and adolescents' cognitive ability were associated with overall attitudes towards punishment. The results indicated respondents' attitudes towards punishment were associated with their beliefs and attitudes concerning different aspects of adolescent development. The results provided support for the premise that deeper knowledge and understanding of adolescent development does make a difference in terms of how individuals view appropriate punishment options. We argue that such evidence can be used as part of a broader advocacy strategy designed to develop more just programs and policies directed at children and youth involved with the justice system.     

The Prison Lesbian Revisited

Abstract

One aspect of women's imprisonment that has received consistent scholarly and public interest is homosexuality. These experiences are generally seen as a subcultural adaptation to the stresses and deprivations of the environment, that is, as situational, and little attention has been given to the implications they might have for the sexual identity of the women involved or to the possibility that some women may continue involvement in same-sex relationships after prison. In-depth interviews with 40 incarcerated women were conducted to explore their experiences with same-sex relationships in prison. Some condemned same-sex relationships but others became involved in them for companionship and other reasons. While some women saw their involvements as limited to prison, others were questioning their sexual identity and thought they might continue the same or other same-sex relationships on the outside.     

Incarcerated Mothers Reports of Their Daughters' Antisocial Behavior,Maternal Supervision and Mother-Daughter Relationship

ABSTRACT

This study examines the extent of delinquency and antisocial behavior among adolescent daughters of incarcerated mothers and the influence of the mother-daughter relationship and maternal supervision on daughters' participation in delinquency and antisocial behavior. One hundred and one incarcerated mothers completed survey questionnaires that asked about their daughters' participation and involvement in antisocial and delinquent behavior and the nature of both mother-daughter relationship and maternal supervision. Overall, mothers reported low levels of involvement in antisocial or delinquent behavior for their daughters. Participation in antisocial behavior was inversely related to positive mother-daughter relationship. Maternal supervision was not related to level of participation in antisocial or delinquent behavior.     

Jailhouse Islamophobia: Anti-Muslim Discrimination in American Prisons

The post 9/11 surge in America’s Muslim prison population has stirred deep-seated fears, including the specter that American prisons will become a breeding system for “radicalized Islam.” With these fears have come restraints on Muslim religious expression. Mistreatment of Muslim prisoners violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), which Congress passed in part to protect prisoners from religious discrimination. Despite RLUIPA, prisoners still face the same challenge that preceded the legislation. Ironically, while Congress directed courts to apply strict scrutiny to these cases, the courts continue to reject most claims. One reason is that many courts are applying a diluted form of the legal standard. Indeed, the “war on terror” has justified increasing deference to prison administration to the detriment of incarcerated Muslims and religious freedom.