The Focus on the Juvenile
Children of incarcerated or justice-involved parents are often the unseen victims of crime and punishment. They face unique psychological and emotional challenges—such as trauma, stigma, instability, and loss—that can deeply influence their development and future behavior. Without early support and understanding, these youth are at higher risk for academic failure, mental health issues, and involvement in the justice system themselves.
By focusing on juveniles, we aim to intervene early--helping young people cope with the emotional impact of parental incarceration and reducing the likelihood of negative life outcomes. Prevention and support at a young age are critical. Providing resources, mentorship, emotional guidance, and community connection can help children build resilience, maintain hope, and develop the tools needed to thrive despite the challenges they face.
Addressing the needs of these youth is not only about healing individual lives but also about breaking the intergenerational cycle of incarceration. By empowering juveniles with positive role models, strong social support, mental health services, and opportunities for growth, we can foster healthier communities and create a future where children are not defined by the mistakes of their parents, but by their own strength, aspirations, and achievements.
Quotes Pulled from Relevant Studies
“Most of the over one million persons incarcerated in U.S. jails and prisons on any given day and the millions more on probation or parole are parents,” (Reed & Reed, 1997).
"The Unites States has the highest proportion of children experiencing parental imprisonment in the world, with an estimated 1 in 14 children having experienced imprisonment of a residential parent," (Murphey & Cooper, 2015).
"Results from Model 1 suggest that both recent and prior paternal incarceration are associated with significantly higher levels of physically aggressive behavior for boys at age 5," (Wildeman C., 2010).
"Parental incarceration seems to intensify risk in a number of ways due to the absence of thje incarcerated parent (usually the father) and the create of single-parent households. Caregivers in our study characterized their experience as struggling to fulfill their family obligations and responsibilities," (Arditti, J. A., Lambert-Shute, J., & Joest, K., 2003).
“During incarceration, fathers are unable to engage with their children, potentially leading to long-term reductions in involvement and to their children growing accustomed to this separation,” (Swisher and Waller, 2008).
“Incarceration, whether due to associated stigma or time spent apart, dramatically increases the risk of divorce and separation,” (Apel et al., 2010; Lopoo and Western ,2005; Massoglia et al., 2011).