From 1980 to 2000, the number of kids with a father in prison or jail rose by 500%. Today, more than 5 million children across America have had a parent incarcerated at some point in their lives. Parental incarceration breaks up families — the building blocks of our communities and nation — and creates an unstable environment for kids that can have lasting effects on their development and well-being.
Children with a parent who is incarcerated are typically younger and living in low-income families of color, usually with a young single mother who has limited education. Most are younger than 10. More than 15% of kids with parents in federal prison — and more than 20% with parents in state prison — are age 4 or younger.
For more than 30 years, Georgia Justice Project has been one of the state’s most influential voices on behalf of people accused of a crime and their families. In recent years, the organization has expanded its capabilities by partnering with the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Children and Family Fellowship program.
Home visiting programs that partner with justice system-involved parents are gaining attention — and rightfully so. A growing body of research suggests that these initiatives are uniquely positioned to support the parents they serve.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation recently hosted a webinar exploring how advocates, community groups and others can work to increase housing options for people with criminal and arrest records. Watch the webinar.
On Aug. 22, 2019, the Annie E. Casey Foundation will host a webinar featuring officials from Root & Rebound, a center in California that advocates for people with criminal backgrounds.
This report reminds policymakers and child advocates of the barriers that young families face. It examines national and state-level trends — highlighting areas of opportunity and concern — and then shares potential solutions that can help these families thrive.
The Casey Foundation’s new webinar recording explores how a criminal record fuels a cycle of poverty in Maryland and the powerful role that policy reforms can play in disrupting this cycle.
A new policy brief in The Future of Children examines two Casey Foundation priorities – children in foster care and children of incarcerated parents – and calls for better understanding what harms kids most and to identify strategies that help.
In Maryland, state and local policies place financial burdens on those who can least afford it. It’s a system that causes unnecessary arrests, criminal charges and the imprisonment of poor people, according to a new Casey-funded study and report.
Close to six million kids in America have experienced losing a parent to prison or jail.
Georgia's returning citizens — individuals who are returning to their families and the community after incarceration — are experiencing a smoother transition thanks to an organization called Georgia Justice Project, which is working to minimize the effects of a criminal record and help the formerly incarcerated regain their financial footing.
