Parental Incarceration and the Family: Psychological and Social Effects of Imprisonment on Children, Parents, and Caregivers

260 Pages·2011·9.905 MB·English

by  Joyce A. Arditti

Parental Incarceration and the Family
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Parental Incarceration
and the Family
Psychological and Social Effects of Imprisonment
on Children, Parents, and Caregivers
Joyce A. Arditti
a
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS
New York and London
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS
New York and London
www.nyupress.org
© 2012 by New York University
All rights reserved
References to Internet websites (URLs) were accurate at the time of writing.
Neither the author nor New York University Press is responsible for URLs that
may have expired or changed since the manuscript was prepared.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Arditti, Joyce A.
Parental incarceration and the family : psychological and social effects
of imprisonment on children, parents, and caregivers / Joyce A. Arditti.
p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8147-0512-4 (cl : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8147-0513-1 (ebook) —
ISBN 978-0-8147-0805-7 (ebook)
1. Prisoners’ families—United States. 2. Children of prisoners—United States.
3. Children of women prisoners—United States. 4. Prisoners—Family relationships—
United States. 5. Women Prisoners—Family relationships—United States. I. Title.
HV8886.U5A73 2012
362.82'95—dc23 2011051506
New York University Press books are printed on acid-free paper,
and their binding materials are chosen for strength and durability.
We strive to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials
to the greatest extent possible in publishing our books.
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For the journey taken and its costs
For hearts broken and lives lost
All are equal as we wait
Stories told of love and hate
Call us different or oppressed
Behind the fence we did our best.
For Ethan and Alanis with love
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
1. Introduction: A Framework for Understanding Parental 1
Incarceration
2. Context and Processes Associated with Incarcerated Parenting 23
3. Maternal Incarceration 44
4. Paternal Incarceration 70
5. The Effects of Incarceration on Families and Children 96
6. Conclusion: Practice and Policy Implications of a Family 140
Perspective on Parental Incarceration
Appendix 184
Notes 205
Bibliography 209
Index 237
About the Author 249
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Acknowledgments
The writing of this book would not have been possible without the
men, women, and children who shared their experiences with the research
community. I am particularly indebted to those families who gave of their
time and participated in my own research, which is included throughout the
book. They served as an inspiration to write a book that would tell their sto-
ries. The world needs to know.
I gratefully acknowledge former and current Virginia Tech students for
their assistance with proofreading, references, and appendix: Tiffaney Park-
man, Sara Neeves-Bothelho, Chih-ling Liou, Zoe Cornwell, and Kendra
Arsenault. Thank you all.
I also thank my editor Jennifer Hammer for her thoughtful comments
and suggestions, her sharp wordsmithing, and her encouragement through-
out the proposal and book-writing process. Jennifer believed in this project
from its inception, and without her this book would not exist.
Finally, I thank my husband for his steadfastness and unwavering belief in
my ability to do just about anything, including write this book.
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