In Children of the Prison Boom, Wakefield and Wildeman present statistics that show that children of the incarcerated face poor outcomes. For example, children with imprisoned parents are more likely to suffer from infant mortality. They are also more likely to face homelessness, as only one parent has to contend with supporting them and with the resulting economic instability. As a result, these children can suffer from restricted access to healthcare and be faced with interrupted or deficient educational opportunities. These children also have poorer mental health and more behavioral problems.
As adults, the prospects of people who had incarcerated parents when they were children are limited, as they've often lacked in education and have difficulty finding a job. They are also more likely than people whose parents were not incarcerated to become involved with crime, to be convicted, and to be imprisoned themselves. Therefore, their parents' incarceration increases the likelihood that they will be imprisoned. This is a dire situation, as the rates of imprisonment, particularly for African-American people, have increased dramatically over the last several decades. Currently, African-American children have a 25% chance that their parents will be imprisoned (page 2). This situation affects not only current but future generations.
No comments:
Post a Comment