Children’s Contact with Incarcerated Parents

Over half of the 2.3 million inmates in the United States are parents of children under the age of 18. Children with incarcerated parents are more likely to exhibit trauma symptoms than other children, and they are at an increased risk of developing behavior problems, substance abuse, academic difficulties, criminal activity, and physical and mental health conditions. Having regular contact with incarcerated parents through visits, phone calls, and other means of communication is important for family well-being during and following incarceration. This report from the Institute for Research on Poverty highlights research that shows the link between parental incarceration and trauma symptoms can be mediated through quality parental visitation experiences.