Children Of Incarcerated Parents...Guidelines for Federal Policymakers

Justice Center Council On State Governmentz(click here for report)

The Issue
The growth in the number of men and women
incarcerated in the United States over the past
twenty years has affected an extraordinary
number of children and families. In 2007, more
than 1.7 million minor children had a parent
in federal or state prison. Research indicates
that on any given day more than seven million
children may have a parent in prison or jail,
or under parole or probation supervision.
Children of incarcerated parents are at risk
of poor school performance, drug use and
mental health problems, and more likely to be
exposed to parental substance abuse, extreme
poverty, and domestic violence. Unfortunately,
connecting these children to services can be
difficult for government agencies, and little
is known about their specific needs or how
effectively these needs are being addressed.