“…As other studies have found, participants described how maintaining connection with their children was their main concern while incarcerated (Kennedy et al, 2020). Phone calls were the predominant strategy for contact, consistent with available U.S. literature examining how incarcerated fathers engage with their children (Shlafer et al, 2020). Study participants found phone calls expensive and logistically complicated.…”
Aims:To explore the experiences of provincially incarcerated mothers in Nova Scotia, Canada; and to make recommendations with respect to improving the experiences of mothers facing criminalization and their children. Design: This qualitative study is rooted in feminist standpoint theory, communitybased research methodologies and prison abolition. Methods: Mothers who were currently or previously incarcerated were recruited by community partners. Between Fall 2021 and Winter 2022, 14 individual interviews and one focus group were conducted, for a total of 18 study participants. Data were analysed collaboratively using thematic analysis. Results: Three key themes were developed through the data analysis: Maintaining Connection, Broken Bonds and The Damage. Mothers shared experiences of trying
“…As other studies have found, participants described how maintaining connection with their children was their main concern while incarcerated (Kennedy et al, 2020). Phone calls were the predominant strategy for contact, consistent with available U.S. literature examining how incarcerated fathers engage with their children (Shlafer et al, 2020). Study participants found phone calls expensive and logistically complicated.…”
Aims:To explore the experiences of provincially incarcerated mothers in Nova Scotia, Canada; and to make recommendations with respect to improving the experiences of mothers facing criminalization and their children. Design: This qualitative study is rooted in feminist standpoint theory, communitybased research methodologies and prison abolition. Methods: Mothers who were currently or previously incarcerated were recruited by community partners. Between Fall 2021 and Winter 2022, 14 individual interviews and one focus group were conducted, for a total of 18 study participants. Data were analysed collaboratively using thematic analysis. Results: Three key themes were developed through the data analysis: Maintaining Connection, Broken Bonds and The Damage. Mothers shared experiences of trying
“…A limited but growing body of studies has looked into the advantages of having contact with a jailed parent for children. Contact may provide an opportunity for children to express their negative feelings about an ambiguous loss (Shlafer et al, 2020). Usually, contact visits in correctional settings entail the parent and visitor sitting in chairs around a low table.…”
The impacts of incarceration extend to the entire family system. The relational impact of incarceration is compounded by the increasing stressors romantic partners experience during incarceration. Romantic relationships are multifaceted and necessitate honoring the voices at the center of experience that are often silenced. Individuals in a romantic relationship with an incarcerated individual were interviewed to understand their lived experience using a phenomenological approach. Five themes (stigma, mental health services, suggestions, impact of incarceration, and limitations) emerged from the eight interviews. Implications are discussed to advocate for this population through research and clinical work.
“…Of parents who are incarcerated in jails, mothers report lower socioeconomic status and are more likely to identify as non-white when compared to a peer group of non-incarcerated mothers [ 25 ]. Similarly, studies have shown that under half of fathers incarcerated in jails have completed high school or an equivalent degree [ 26 ]. On average, parents in jails have more than one child, with most children under the age of 18 [ 26 , 27 ].…”
Section: Characteristics Of Incarcerated Parentsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Similarly, studies have shown that under half of fathers incarcerated in jails have completed high school or an equivalent degree [ 26 ]. On average, parents in jails have more than one child, with most children under the age of 18 [ 26 , 27 ]. Up to 30% of incarcerated mothers report their children are under 5 years old [ 27 ], whereas fathers report an average child age of 7 [ 26 ].…”
Section: Characteristics Of Incarcerated Parentsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…On average, parents in jails have more than one child, with most children under the age of 18 [ 26 , 27 ]. Up to 30% of incarcerated mothers report their children are under 5 years old [ 27 ], whereas fathers report an average child age of 7 [ 26 ]. Mothers in jails, compared to fathers, are more likely to have lived with their children as a primary caretaker prior to incarceration [ 28 ].…”
Section: Characteristics Of Incarcerated Parentsmentioning
Of the 2.5 million people who are incarcerated in the United States, over half are parents. While it is well-established that incarceration has a detrimental impact on the children of incarcerated parents, less is known regarding the psychological impact of incarceration on parents themselves. The present review summarizes existing literature on the impact of incarceration on parents retrieved via online databases. Published articles were classified according to their overall themes and summarized. Pertinent studies include the psychological and emotional consequences of incarceration on parents, the experience of parenting while incarcerated, including barriers to parenting, the utility of parenting program interventions during periods of incarceration, and how these results differ for mothers and fathers. While the existing evidence introduces these issues, there is a need for additional research on the impact of incarceration on parents. These areas for future research as well as clinical implications are discussed.
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