Incarcerated Mothers: Their Histories of Victimizationand the Consequences for Their Children

Toni Johnson, Associate Professor tkjohns@ku.edu Margaret Severson, Professor mseverson@ku.edu

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 Males

Race/Ethnicity 5 African Americans5 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 Clusters

47 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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