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A Shared Sentence
The parent-child relationship is one of the most fundamental relationships in children's lives. In most families, the parent-child relationship develops as a result of regular, ongoing interactions and this continuous contact serves as a stabilizing force that promotes children's healthy development, fostering their sense of belonging, security, and self-assurance. While this scenario is common for many children, the ongoing relationship described here is disrupted for children whose parents are not present due to incarceration. Children of incarcerated parents are presented with considerable challenges, including not only loss of a parent but loss of family stability, changes in living arrangements and stressors due to the stigma associated with having an incarcerated family member.
Our nation's over-reliance on mass incarceration has had a devastating impact on more than 5 million American children, bringing increased poverty, homelessness, hunger and emotional pain into their lives.
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