Question
How are children affected when a parent or relative is incarcerated?
Answer
A study from the the University of California Irvine (Turney, 2014) found significant health problems in children of incarcerated parents. The study reported that parental incarceration can even be more detrimental to a child's well-being than divorce or death of a parent. Note that having incarcerated parents may be more detrimental to a child's well-being than divorce or death of a parent.
People who are in prison are still alive. Children are still able, in a sense, to see them, talk to them, write them. So how could that be so detrimental?
I challenge you to think about this. When a child experiences divorce with their parents, there's some type of conversation. The parents, whatever the family dynamic may be, sit down with the child and they say, "Hey, we determined that we are better off as friends. We've determined that it's more healthy for our family if we live in two separate households. You'll have two Christmases, two birthdays, double toys. We're going to go to counseling every week. I'll come get you Sunday through Wednesday, and you'll be over there for the rest of the week.
So there's some type of conversation that occurs around divorce. Those who are in the closest circle with this child - a teacher, social worker, or other professional - typically respond by asking how they can help.
Now, let's look at death of a parent. I would think that this is probably the most difficult conversation to have with a child. But we know that there are books available, and therapy that can help. There is so much remorse and sympathy that will go out for this child, and resources to help support them.
But the moment you say, "Well, their parent is incarcerated," people may gasp, say OK, or say nothing.
We don't technically know what to say because this subject is sensitive and because this topic is so taboo. It's not something that we like to talk about or that generally comes up in common conversation.
Whereas with divorce or death of a parent it’s a little bit more of a welcoming conversation. So, as social workers, we will start making conversations around incarceration a little bit more welcoming as well. We will make incarceration not a taboo or a word that makes us cringe or feel uncomfortable. We will move past the word so that we can respond in a proper way to be of support and resources to these families.
Reference
Turney, K. (2014). Stress proliferation across generations? Examining the relationship between parental incarceration and childhood health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 55, 302–319.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the webinar, Nuturing Beyond Bars, presented by Quniana Futrell, EdS.
