Three years ago, the little girl would hide under a table when confronted with reminders that both her parents were in prison.
Now almost 10, she’s a confident, popular student, and an ace recruiter for the program that helped her, says Daniel Howell, a case manager for New Hope Oklahoma. It offers after-school programs, weekend retreats and summer camps for about 500 Oklahoma children annually who have parents behind bars.
Nationwide, there are few comparable programs, despite a vast pool of children who might benefit.
Child Trends, a research organization, released a report Tuesday estimating that 5 million U.S. children have had at least one parent imprisoned — about one in every 14 children younger than 18. For black children, the rate was one in nine, the report said.
Clark County families of inmates supported
In Clark County, those who have a loved one in prison find support through nonprofit organizations such as Families on the Outside.
The Vancouver-based organization has support groups for family members of prison inmates and puts on several family-friendly events throughout the year.
Sid Carter, who founded the nonprofit with his wife, Sheri, said that having the support network is important for families, who have a mix of emotions while their loved ones are in prison, and when they comes home.
And while people work in the community to help strengthen those relationships, local prisons are doing the same.
Larch Corrections Center community partnerships coordinator Nancy Simmons said she tries to organize an event every month for families to connect with prisoners. Programs that Larch puts on include a Thanksgiving meal and bingo event, a Christmas celebration and a father-daughter dance.
"It just creates a firm foundation for the inmates when they get out," Simmons said.
-- Emily Gillespie
The report was based on data from the 2011-12 National Survey of Children’s Health — a phone survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that collected input from parents and other caregivers.
Experts who study these children, or work with them, say parental incarceration is distinguished from other childhood woes by a mix of shame, stigma and trauma. Research indicates that many of the children face increased risk of problems with behavior, academics, self-esteem and substance abuse — in some cases resulting in criminality passed from one generation to the next.
Child Trends said prison systems, schools and communities could do more to support these children. Suggestions include improving communications between parent and child, making prison visits less stressful, and educating school teachers on how they can help affected children overcome stigma.
“Progress has been slow,” said Child Trends researcher David Murphey, the report’s lead author. “This is a vulnerable group of kids that is often hidden from public view. We need to pay more attention.”
In some places, that’s happening. Washington state has won plaudits for establishing child-friendly visiting areas in all its prisons; so has a program in southeast Michigan that facilitates playful, 2-hour visits between imprisoned parents and their kids.
As for New Hope Oklahoma, it has grown steadily over two decades while relying entirely on private donations, and there’s now a waiting list for its programs. Oklahoma has one of the nation’s highest incarceration rates; a task force calculated that on any given day, 26,000 Oklahoma children have a parent in prison.
“These children face ostracism among their peers because of it — despite the fact that the child is totally not at fault,” said New Hope’s executive director, Clayton Smith. “They don’t speak about it. They don’t want anyone to know.”
The program seeks to foster a camaraderie among the children that encourages them to share experiences and emotions.
Daniel Howell, the case manager who works with after-school programs in Tulsa, recalled his encounters with some of the children, whom he could not identify due to privacy policies.
“I really want to live with my mom,” one boy told him sadly, “and I can’t right now.”
Then there was the girl who entered the program as a 7-year-old and would hide when discomfited.
“We’d have to go sit under the table with her to talk to her,” Howell said.
“Now she’s able to identify her feelings, talk about it really openly with other students,” he added. “She’s been a top recruiter, telling friends about New Hope and what we do.”
While New Hope works with children at a distance from prison facilities, Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency’s program in Michigan unites children with their incarcerated fathers in jails in Oakland and Wayne counties, plus three state prisons. Visiting areas are decorated and stocked with playthings, and music is provided for twice-monthly play-oriented visits for perhaps a half-dozen families at a time.
Linda VanderWaal, the agency’s associate director for family re-entry, noted that some jails in Michigan don’t allow contact visits, while other facilities insist that child visitors remain seated.
“We move the chairs back so there’s room to throw a ball,” VanderWaal said. “It’s fine if a dad wants to toss his kid in the air or wrestle on the floor. It’s a true play date.”
