Running Head: CHILDREN WITH INCARCERATED PARENTS AND THE EFFECT IT HAS

ON AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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Children with Incarcerated Parents and the Effect it has on American Community
Victoria D Neal
California Baptist University

The American jail system is overcrowded with people who are nonviolent. Many jails
house inmates with children. There are not many programs that help children with parents in
prison. Children are affected negatively when their parent or parents are incarcerated. It can
affect a child if anyone close to them becomes incarcerated. Children who have parents that are

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incarcerated often times have attachment issues which leads to developmental delays. When a
child is developmentally delayed they are labeled as disabled and are usually put in a special
education class. Children of incarcerated parents need more awareness and attention because
they have a higher chance of developmental delays. In order to give children more awareness and
attention non-violent parents who are incarcerated should have a lesser jail sentence than those
who are not a parent.
According to Cassidy Jude, et al, mothers who are in prison are putting their children at
risk of having an insecure attachment (2010, p. 333). A secure attachment in infancy is important
to for the child to develop properly. A child who does not develop properly can have disabilities.
According to OConnor Erin, et al, children who have insecure attachment show signs when they
are three to five years of age. This author looked at children at the age of three with disorganized
attachment. He saw that children with disorganized attachments knew less vocabulary words and
were more disruptive in class (2011, p. 450). Children who are behind set the classroom behind
making teaching to all childrens abilities difficult in a typically developing classroom. Special
needs teachers are at high needs throughout the country. Having more children with special
needs but no teachers willing to help them can be hard on American society. Many women in
prison with children are substance abusers. On estimate eight out of ten women prisoners are
pregnant when they enter. In this study done by Cassidy Jude, et al, women were provided with
parenting classes while they were pregnant in incarceration. They were allowed to keep their
infants until the infant was six months of age. Most infants grew a secure attachment to their
mother in that time period. fourteen out of twenty infants had a secure attachment to their mother
when the study ended (2010, p. 334). An infant who receives a secure attachment is less likely to

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end up in prison. By caring for infants of prisoners and letting them receive a secure attachment
America can reduce the incarceration rate.
The amount of money spent on incarcerating an inmate is forty two thousand dollars
yearly (Legislative Analyst's Office, 2008). Less than half of that goes into security. Forty two
thousand dollars yearly towards the education system would increase the quality of the public
education. In 2012 the government spent estimately twelve thousand dollars towards each
student in public education (National Center For Education Statistics, 2012). That is more than 3
times less than what America spends on incarcerating people. According to Gottschalk, Marie, an
increase in funds for incarceration leads to an increase in prisoners (2009, p. 97). Prisoners
receive healthcare and opportunities to get an education. If the money had been put into the
education system instead of incarceration funds America could have prevented growth in prison
rates. If a parent who is non-violent had a smaller sentence they would not be as costly for
Americans to pay for. The parent will receive education and rehabilitation while in prison and be
able to return to their child when they are free. A person who is freed from prison can also
become a part of the working community. With less money being spent on inmates the
government can put that money towards educating children. Keeping children occupied with
extra curricular activities can also reduce prison rates.
Leeson Caroline, and Julia Morgan discuss how to help children with incarcerated
parents. Children with parents or a parent in prison experience educational difficulties. Children
with a parent in prison are usually overlooked when they should be provided for. Helping a child
with a parent in prison can be as easy as being supportive of the child. Another thing that can
help is making sure the childs basic needs are being met (2014, p. 148). A child could have a
hard time learning because their parent is struggling financially and can not afford to feed that

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child. The child could be emotional because they feel empty without that missing parent. In
another article by Leeson Caroline, Julia Morgan and Rebecca Carter Dillon it talks about how a
teacher can help a child with incarcerated parents. Teachers can help these children by
understanding the child comes from a diverse background and may need more care. The article
also mentions the school needs to be flexible so the child can see their incarcerated parent (2013,
p. 200). It is incredibly important for children to keep in contact with their incarcerated parent.
Staying in contact with the parent has been proven to help both the parent and child (Bell, Linda
G, and Connie S. Cornwell, 2015, p. 45). The child may have grown up only knowing their
parent; so, when that person that they have an attachment with is taken away it is traumatizing
for the child. Zagar, Robert John, William M. Grove, and Kenneth G. Busch, say, by providing
more opportunities for teenagers and children America is keeping them out of trouble (2013, p.
384). Children and teenagers who are busy in woodshop, theater, band, art, and many other
extracurricular activities do not have time to get in trouble. When a child is focused on learning
something they enjoy they think less about doing bad things. Children when they are or without
friends can easily get involved in the wrong crowd. Gangs are look for middle school and high
school age boys to become a part of them. Sometimes a teenager may fall into the wrong crowd
because the wrong crowds can be the most welcoming. A young man I once knew tried making
friends with the popular teenagers but when that failed he turned to those who would accept him.
Those people were the ones that spent their free time doing drugs and drinking alcohol.
Americas prisons are full. Instead of allowing prisons to be so full America needs to stop
allowing children to become prisoners. Out of the million and five hundred thousand prisoners in
the United states about eight hundred and ten thousand of them are parents. The number of
minors with parents in prison is estimated at about one million and seven hundred thousand. That

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makes up to a little over two percent of the U.S. population under eighteen years of age (Bureau
of Justice, 2010, p. 1). If many of those incarcerated parents are non-violent they should serve a
smaller sentence. By serving a smaller sentence it is allowing the parents to be with their child
and also allow that money that is used to pay for incarceration to be used elsewhere. According
to Zagar, Robert John, William M. Grove, and Kenneth G. Busch, the prison rates for teenagers
and minors are increasing (2013, p. 381). Children who are underage should not be going to jail.
Children who are underage should be getting their license, hanging out with friends, playing
sports, or in extra curricular activities. Children who are underage should not be getting into
drugs or gangs. Children under age need to stay children under age. If children are to stay that
way they need a caring adult looking after them.
Some may disagree by saying if America reduces the time spent in jail for parents that
other inmates may become offended or some may take advantage of the lesser jail time. Another
concern is that the jail system will not be able to filter through the non-violent and violent
parents. Some may try to take advantage of the system. Only a child should be able to say if they
want their parent in their life. If a child is clearly afraid of their incarcerated parent the parent
should not get a smaller sentence. As stated before many incarcerated parents are non-violent.
There are inmates who are violent and need more security but according to the Legislative
Analysts Office only half of the money spent on incarcerating an inmate yearly is spent on
security. Osborne Association says, each child is different and one specific program will not help
all children with incarcerated parents. They are right each childs circumstance is different, so,
each child needs help in different ways. One child may need to see their parent while other child
may struggle when they see their incarcerated parent. A child could need help with basic needs
such as food while another child did not receive the proper love they needed from a parent. Some

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children could use opportunities like extra curricular activities and other teenagers may need job
opportunities to keep them out of trouble. Each childs circumstance is different and needs to
evaluated and addressed differently.
By defunding incarceration and increasing money that goes towards education America
will be preventing growth in prison rates. By allowing parents to have a smaller jail sentence
they will be able to gain a secure attachment with their parent. Another important factor is
education. In incarceration if a person has a high school diploma they are more likely to receive a
job. A person may be considered for a raise, or may not struggle financially because of a job.
School can also provide patience (Lance Lochner, Enrico Moretti, 2004, p. 3). A child that is able
to make it through and receive a high school diploma is more likely to receive a job. When
children and teenagers and provided with support and opportunities to thrive they achieve those
goals and continue further. If a child is given the opportunity to do good they will most likely
choose good over bad. If America defunds incarceration and begins funding education systems
America will be setting up a better future for the generations to come. Children who receive a
better education and make it through the educational system are more likely to become working
and well functioning citizens in this society.
The Bible says in Matthew 25:31-46 that when people feed the hungry, give them drink,
see them strange, or clothe them when they are naked they are doing the same to Jesus. When the
hungry are fed God is fed. When people take care of those who are in need they are taking care
of Gods people. Children are weak and incapable of providing for themselves. They need
someone to care for them. Children with parents in incarceration may not have anyone to care for
them. They may be fed or they may have shelter but without love children can not form an
attachment and do not develop typically. By caring for those in need Christians can make an

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impact on the lives of children. By changing the amount of time parents spend in jail the
government can help children as well.