Child Custody Issues of Women Prisoners: A Preliminary Report from the Chicas Project

Abstract

This report describes 660 jailed or imprisoned parents who sought child custody advocacy services from the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 1994. There were clear differences between male (N = 160) and female (N = 500) clients. Men's child custody problems were related to both informal and foster care placements of their children with relatives other than the children's grandparents. Female clients had significantly more child custody problems when their children were placed with relatives other than the maternal grandmothers or in any type of foster care. The most significant finding in this report is the dramatic correlation of mother-child reunification with postrelease residential drug treatment for mothers. More than 90% of clients released to residential drug treatment achieved reunification with their children. This finding suggests that treatment for substance dependency strongly influences the ability of formerly incarcerated women to parent effectively.

Whose Problem Is It Anyway? Women Prisoners and HIV/AIDS

“…Grief and other emotions triggered by the HIV/AIDS diagnosis can be profound. Moreover, there may be as many as 80,000 mothers in local, state, and federal jails and prisons, and their dependents may total 150,000 people (Johnston, 1995). The legal and practical restrictions imposed on women prisoners infected with HIV/AIDS, as they try to maintain relationships with their children, significantly affect their physical and emotional well-being.…”

Is Motherhood Important? Imprisoned Women’s Maternal Experiences Before and During Confinement and Their Postrelease Expectations

“…By making such arrangements, imprisoned mothers hope to demonstrate that they are good mothers, minimize loss of control over children, and sustain parent–child bonds. These outcomes have been supported empirically (Enos, 2001; Henriques, 1982; Johnston 1995a, 1995b; Mackintosh, Myers, & Kennon, 2006; Miller, 2006). For example, Johnston (1995a) found that mothers whose children were living with the maternal grandmother enjoyed better relationships with caregivers .…”

“…They are also more likely than African American women’s children to have one or more child placed in foster care (Enos, 1998). However, the majority of all imprisoned mothers’ children are placed with grandparents and other relatives (Glaze & Maruschak, 2008; Henriques, 1982; Johnston, 1995a, 1995b). Many mothers prefer grandparents, relatives, or others caregivers with whom they and their children already enjoy a positive relationship (Enos, 2001; Henriques, 1982).…”

“…While a limited body of research examines the challenges of mothering while incarcerated (Bloom & Steinhart, 1993; Dalley, 2002; Enos, 2001; Hairston, 1999, 2002; Henriques, 1982; Johnston, 1995a, 1995b; Richie, 2002; Snyder, Carlo, & Mullins, 2001; Stanton, 1980), few studies investigate maternal identity specifically. While not exhaustive, this study considers some of the mothering attitudes and behaviors believed to be important in existing research and indicators that help explain mothering identity for this specific population.…”

It's a Family Affair

“…Thus, children may be placed in unstable and potentially harmful situations. Finally, children of incarcerated mothers are often separated from each other as well as from their mothers, leading to additional strain (Johnston, 1995b;Johnston, 1995c;Belknap, 1996b).…”