“Ask a man what his main concern is when he gets into prison, and he’ll say getting out. Ask a woman…….. She doesn’t say getting out, she doesn’t say anything else, and she says her children. She’s worried about her children.” -Susie, incarcerated mother

Abstract

The numbers of children with incarcerated parents continue to rapidly grow in the Unites States. There has been very little research on policy formulation or literature written that focuses on incarcerated mothers and the profound effects that it has on the children and caregivers. The children are left voiceless and forced to succumb to a harsh criminal justice system, child welfare system, and policy makers. The caregivers of children whose parents are incarcerated experience increased risk for antisocial outcomes, internalizing symptoms and academic difficulties with the children. Social Work is fundamental to improving the policy outcomes of these groups and necessary in cultivating the plight for many of these families.