Journal of the Institute

What’s in it for the Criminal Justice System?

Across the country in both jails and prison settings there are examples of parenting initiatives that have been advocated for and fully supported by top level corrections administrators. Although the programs are as varied as the populations they serve, supportive correctional administrators have voiced some common themes. They believe quality programs that have been well managed contribute to reduced misconduct, disciplinary action, and flow of contraband. Inmates that are truly committed to becoming responsible parents appear less likely to engage in negative behaviors. This is often reflected in overall program participation which in turn has a positive impact on the institutional culture and climate.

Introducing an initiative such as a parenting program requires attention not only to the program but also to the staff. As a warden once said, this attention will challenge many barriers that specific policies have in place, especially when the institution is continuously emphasizing the needs of offenders and children. However, there can be a significant payoff when such programs are accepted.

The best evidence of successful integration of parenting initiatives is when custody staff value the programs for the positive impact they have on facility operations. A warden in a male prison introduced parenting initiatives within the program structure. Initially staff were opposed to any kind of parenting programs, believing it was a reward for criminality and would increase the flow of contraband into the facility. Down the road, when lack of funding threatened continuation of the initiative, security staff became supporters as they grew to believe participation in the program had a positive impact on inmate behavior. A tool to success stated by the warden was that within the prison staff, leaders should be identified who share this vision and mission and they should be allowed to self-identify with the cause.

What do Policy Makers Need?

For policy makers to entertain bringing parenting initiatives into their institutions they must be convinced that such programs will have a positive impact. They need information. Make available examples of successful programs integrated into similar sized facilities along with available data, research and outcomes. Program providers must be fully prepared to submit information regarding their specific program and structure. As institutions must operate with a high degree of order, program providers must adhere to the established format and schedule, with deviations previously agreed upon by the administration. A seemingly minor detail, such as changing the time of a group by a half hour must be cleared with the administion. Such a change could have a significant impact on inmate movement, the availability of participants, or any other number of factors.

Despite the benefits of bringing services into the institution, conflict can easily arise between providers and institutional staff if there is not a clear understanding of the protocols around security. What may be perceived as “nitpicky” could actually create a breach of security. A parenting program at a small male facility was bringing food items into the sessions. When security staff learned of this practice, they eliminated the practice with no explanation. Program providers perceived it as an arbitrary decision that served no purpose. However, when providers became aware that the items were being brought back to the housing units and had the potential to jam secure door locking mechanisms, they had a heightened appreciation of the role of security staff and a new spirit of collaboration ensued. As anyone working in an institutional setting will attest to, lack of communication between the internal and external environments is the quickest way to “bury” a new initiative. To ensure the success of such initiatives, above all, there must be “no surprises.”

Summary

Although parenting initiatives are springing up in male and female institutions across the country, such programs are outside the norm of standard correctional practice. Those facilities that have instituted such programs are strong believers in their value. However, these initiatives should not be offered “wholesale” to any inmate who happens to be a parent, as there are examples of parent/child relationships that are irrevocably damaged and require other types of intervention. Decisions must be made by corrections as to eligibility criteria. Institutions that have integrated parenting initiatives are quick to list both the benefits and the cautions implementing practices that will not negatively impact the safety and security of the institution.

Though some facilities have integrated family programming as an offering for years, most programs are relatively new. With the number of men and women leaving prison for their communities and with the heightened attention to the impact of parental incarceration on children and families, it is anticipated that there will be increasing research on this topic. At this point, research is limited and on a relatively small scale, but beginning to emerge. However, the impact of parental incarceration and the need to better prepare offenders for reintegration is not a topic that corrections can afford to overlook. As a corrections director recently stated,

“If the mission of a prison, beyond its safety and security is getting the offender ready for the handoff to the community, then we have a distinctly different mission than the one we think we have.”

Joe Lehman, Washington State Department of Corrections, 2002 interview.

References

Hairston, C. (1991). Family ties during imprisonment: Important to whom and for what? Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, XVIII (1), 87-104.

Hairston, C. (2001) Prisoners and Families: Parenting Issues During Incarceration. Prison to Home Conference. Washington, DC 2002.

Rubino, F. (2004) Doing Family Time. Hope Magazine, March/April 2004. p. 25

Forces Of Separation Among Families Impacted By Incarceration