incarcerated mothers: their histories of victimization and the consequences for their children
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Social Work Social Development 2012: Action and Impact Stockholm, Sweden – July 10, 2012. Incarcerated Mothers: Their Histories of Victimization and the Consequences for Their Children. Toni Johnson, Associate Professor [email protected] Margaret Severson, Professor [email protected]. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Incarcerated Mothers: Their Histories of Victimizationand the Consequences for Their Children
Toni Johnson, Associate Professor [email protected] Margaret Severson, Professor [email protected]
School of Social Welfare
Social Work Social Development 2012: Action and ImpactStockholm, Sweden – July 10, 2012
The Identified Problem
Personal, social & fiscal costs of violence to girls & women
Involvement with the criminal justice system
The effects of marriage & motherhood on women prisoners
Rehabilitation, treatment & reentry services are limited
Aim of the Project For many incarcerated mothers reintegration into the community is complicated by past victimization, needs for trauma services, parental expectations & significant economic needs.
Findings from two studies (one on incarcerated women & one on adolescent children of prisoners) are used to examine the complex web of need that emerges for many incarcerated women and their children.
Women in U.S. Prisons More women are incarcerated in the U.S. than in any
other country in the world (Sabol, West, and Cooper, 2009)
Account for 7+% of the inmate population, and rising (Harrison & Beck, 2006)
Most are poor , unskilled, and undereducated Women of color disproportionately represented Many/most have histories of sexual and/or physical
victimization as children and adults 60-80% are parents to minor children More likely than male prisoners to have had custody
of their children prior to incarceration
Overview of the Children of Women PrisonersChildren live more often
with single or elderly women than with a parent
Children more likely to go into the child welfare system than are children of male prisoners
Many live in poor, urban areas
Likely to be affected on the emotional, social, structural & economic levels
Experience an accumulation of risk (e.g., crime ridden neighborhoods, parental alcohol/drug abuse, multiple changes in living arrangements)
Many incarcerated mothers experience anguish & distress over their children and they have good
reason for concern (Mumola, 2002)
Study 1: Examined the Experiences of Violence & Victimization of Incarcerated Women
Mixed Methods; total n=423 157 Participants in this presentation sample 12 month data collection period Standardized measures used to collect
information on childhood sexual & physical abuse, intimate partner violence & sexual assault in adulthood
Data Focus:
Economic SupportsLegal & illegal activities used to secure economic support. • Examples of legal included selling handmade items,
providing a service & receiving welfare. • Examples of illegal included writing bad checks, selling
illegal drugs & providing sex for money.
Criminal BehaviorWomen were asked about the nature of the arrest(s) for up to 9 incidents. Arrests were categories into economic, drug related & violent crimes.
FindingsDescriptive• Sample: single, married, partnered & women without
children• Mean age 35 - those without children, slightly younger• Higher level of education associated with lower
incidence of motherhood, but not with partnered status• Single mothers & unmarried mothers living with a
partner were disproportionately African American
Study 1: FindingsEconomic Conditions Most women worked prior to incarceration Majority lived in poverty Many held a 2nd or 3rd job to survive Most were poor; 49.7% had an annual income < $10,000 Many engaged in illegal activities to generate income(88%) Single parenthood and/or living unmarried with a partner
carries risk of economic hardshipVictimization Unmarried mothers who lived with partners prior to
incarceration were most likely to have histories of multiple forms of victimization
Findings: What Would Have Helped?
When Asked What Would Have Helped? Job Training Addiction treatment/mental health counseling Legal help for domestic violence Assistance with childcare
Study 2: Examined the Service Needs of Adolescent Children of Prisoners from the Youth Perspective
o Concept mapping used to collect & analyze data from adolescent youth with a parent currently in prison
o Involved youth at every stage of research from planning to analysis
o Youth asked to identify social service needs and sort those needs in order of importance
Study 2: Research Participants
Demographics Youth: N=14
Age 13-18 yearsGender 9 Females
5 MalesRace/Ethnicity 5 African Americans
5 White1 Latina1 Native American2 Mixed Race
Gender of Incarcerated Parent
9 youth – Father incarcerated3 youth – Mother incarcerated2 youth – Mother & Father incarcerated
Study 2: Data Set
47 Different Statements or concepts generated (Examples of statements include: have staff that really care, helps family with basic needs,
helps youth find employment, & provides mentoring for youth)
Youth individually sorted the statements into groups and rated them in order of importance on scale from 1 (not at all important) to 5 (most important)
Hierarchical cluster analysis & multidimensional scaling used to analyze the sort data
Study 2: Data Clusters47 statements clustered around 7 themes: Special Needs Staff Qualities Health/Mental Health & Addiction Treatment Advocacy/Community Education Youth Development Family Ties Therapy /Support
Statements Form ClustersConcept Map Reflects Ratings of Importance
(Each number represents a particular statement, cluster layers represent the importance of that cluster)
Staff qualities
Advocacy/Community Ed
Family Ties
Therapy/Support
Youth DevelopmentHealth, MH, Addiction
Special Needs
Cluster Legend Layer Value 1 3.69 to 3.79 2 3.79 to 3.89 3 3.89 to 3.99 4 3.99 to 4.08 5 4.08 to 4.18
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Study 2: Selected Findings• Clusters focused on “Staff Qualities” & “Special Needs”---
including meeting the family’s needs • Many youth identified the strain caregivers experience in
taking care of the youth • Youth were concerned about the incarcerated parent &
their relationship• Want supports in place for incarcerated parents when
returning to home & community• Individual statements focused on personal development
& future orientation were highly rated
Viewed Together …
Viewed together, these studies create a powerful picture of challenges faced by mother and child & the urgent need for services.
Both Mothers & Adolescent Children: Expressed concern about the welfare of the other Encountered difficulty meeting basic needs Were traumatized by the separation from
children/parent Desired access to counseling/mental health treatment
Implications for Action Provide mechanisms that help prisoners & their children
maintain family ties This doesn’t necessarily equate to a children-in-prison approach
Provide concrete support (economic, social, practical) to caregivers of children during a parent’s incarceration
Establish strong reentry programs for the returning mother – with the “right” program goals and supports
Provide skill building parenting programs designed specifically for this population
Provide counseling & support for parent & child
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