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Results for children of prisoners (arizona)

3 results found

Author: Arizona. Criminal Justice Commission, Statistical Analysis Center

Title: Children of Incarcerated Parents: Measuring the Scope of the Problem

Summary: Current trends in incarceration practices have inevitably affected a large number of children. A recent report published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2008) estimates that slightly less than two million children have a parent incarcerated in the state or federal prison system, which accounts for approximately two percent of the total minor population in the United States. With support from the Arizona Governor’s Office on Children, Youth, and Families, researchers from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission and Arizona State University conducted a statewide study on children of incarcerated parents with two primary goals: 1. To arrive at a reliable estimate of the number of children of parents currently incarcerated in the Arizona Department of Corrections. 2. To develop and implement a clearly defined strategy through which data on the number of children with incarcerated parents in Arizona is obtained and reported on an annual basis. Data collection efforts entailed an extensive review of records from the Arizona Department of Corrections. This included electronic data from the institutional data management system as well as prisoner case file contents. Research has found that confined subjects are far less likely to disclose personal information to staff for fear that information will be used against them or negatively affect others (e.g., family members, friends). Accordingly, independent, non-justice system interviewers also conducted face-to-face interviews with incarcerated mothers and fathers. Phase one of the project involved a review of institutional records from a random sample of men (N=600) and women (N=600) prisoners who were in custody during July 2009. Since the Arizona Department of Corrections collects the number of overall dependents of prisoners, we reviewed these data to identify the percentage of prisoners who had dependents and the average number of overall dependents. Researchers then reviewed case files for a subsample of men (N=300) and women (N=300) prisoners who according to institutional data management records were classified as having at least one dependent. This exercise was extremely important as it revealed the extent to which the institutional record measure of overall dependents represented a proxy for minor children. Phase two of the study entailed original data collection by Arizona State University researchers who have experience collecting sensitive information from confined populations. Specifically, researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with incarcerated fathers (N=300) and mothers (N=300) in custody at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Phoenix Alhambra Reception and Treatment Center and the Arizona State Prison Complex-Perryville, San Pedro, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria and Piestewa Units. Conducting interviews during the intake and reception process allowed for sampling of various types of male prisoners and maximized the use of limited resources by eliminating the need to travel to all ADC facilities. Since nearly threefourths of female inmates in ADC are housed in minimum security units, interviews with women prisoners were conducted in three minimum security units and in one unit that housed a combination of both minimum and medium security prisoners in an effort to obtain a representative sample of the female prisoner population.

Details: Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, 2011. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed August 1, 2011 at: http://acjc.state.az.us/ACJC.Web/Pubs/Home/COIP_Final.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://acjc.state.az.us/ACJC.Web/Pubs/Home/COIP_Final.pdf

Shelf Number: 122236

Keywords:
Children of Prisoners (Arizona)
Families of Inmates

Author: Pima Prevention Partnership

Title: Arizona Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights Project: Report and Recommendations

Summary: There are close to 3 million children of incarcerated parents in the U.S. today, and 12 million who have been directly affected by parental incarceration in their lifetime (Bernstein, 2005). This means that 1 out of every 33 children in the U.S. currently has a parent in prison or jail (Bernstein, 2005). There is no indication that this trend will reverse itself. As the number of incarcerated parents increases, so does the number of affected children. Over the past decade, there has been a steady average annual increase in the prison population. Currently 2.2 million individuals are in prison in the U.S. Over 600,000 prisoners are released each year, but two-thirds are arrested again within three years (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006b; Congressional Record, 2007). If rates of first incarceration remain unchanged, 6.6% of all persons born in the U.S. in 2001 will go to State or Federal prison during their lifetime (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2007a). Arizona leads the Western states in the rate of incarceration. Following national trends, Arizona’s incarcerated population is disproportionately minority, and Arizona is incarcerating more women than other states. This has resulted in an estimated 95,669 minor children in Arizona directly affected on any given day by parental incarceration in jail and prison, with many thousands more who have experienced parental incarceration in their lifetime. Tens of thousands more have a parent on probation. Children of incarcerated parents are among the most vulnerable populations of children, at high risk for neglect, abuse, behavioral health problems, delinquency and substance abuse. The problems of children whose parents are incarcerated, if unattended, can produce intergenerational patterns of crime and violence. National studies report that children of incarcerated parents are five to seven times more likely to be incarcerated themselves (Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents, 2004; Congressional Record, 2007; Administration for Children Youth & Families, 2004). A 2005 study of the Arizona state prison system reported that one-third of inmates had at least one parent incarcerated when he/she was a child (Applied Behavioral Health Policy, 2005). According to 2006 data provided by the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC), among youth currently serving a sentence in the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, 55.3% of girls and 47.7% of boys have an adult family member who was/is incarcerated in the youth’s life (M. Crane, Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, personal communication, September 17, 2007). In spite of these challenges, experts state that the effects of trauma on young children from arrest and parental incarceration can be mitigated if recognized and addressed early and comprehensively. A review of current service systems and law enforcement processes in Maricopa, Pima, Coconino, and Yavapai counties reveals a significant opportunity for child welfare, schools, faith-based organizations, mental health service providers and law enforcement agencies to work together to improve life outcomes for children of incarcerated parents.

Details: Phoeniz, AZ: Pima Prevention Partnerships, 2007. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2011 at: http://www.vera.org/download?file=2991/Greenlight%2520Technical%2520Report%2520FINAL.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://www.vera.org/download?file=2991/Greenlight%2520Technical%2520Report%2520FINAL.pdf

Shelf Number: 122246

Keywords:
Children of Prisoners (Arizona)
Prisoners' Families

Author: Applied Behavioral Health Policy

Title: An Epidemiological Study of the Prevalence and Needs Of Children of Incarcerated Parents within the State of Arizona

Summary: In March 2004, Governor Janet Napolitano’s Office for Children, Youth, and Families, Division for Substance Abuse Policy commissioned Applied Behavioral Health Policy of the University of Arizona, to conduct an epidemiological study of the inmates in the custody of the Arizona Department of Corrections. Primary questions of interest to the Governor’s Office included: How many inmates have children of minor age? What are the characteristics of these inmates including demographic features, anticipated release date, post release status and needs? What are the ages, current living situation and location, educational attainment, adjustment and social service needs of these children? This reports summarizes the methodological approach and key findings of this study. Voluntary written self-report survey questionnaires were administered to 4,403 inmates housed at three prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections. By design, efforts were made to survey all women within custody and a statistically representative sample of male inmates. Overall, a 70% response rate, representing 3,091 inmates, was achieved with a significantly higher rate of response among the women inmates. Initial analyses revealed that the sample of inmates completing the survey under-represented Hispanics and over-represented Caucasians for both males and females while all other racial/ethnic categories were equitably represented, as compared to the general ADC population. As a result, the male response sample was parsed to provide a final sample that approximated the racial/ethnic make-up of the general ADC population. Of this adjusted sample, 1,968 (76%) identified themselves to be parents of minor children. This group of inmates served as the basis of data presented in this report.

Details: Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona, 2005. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2011 at: http://www.cabhp.asu.edu/projects/research/pdf/epidemiological%20study%20of%20the%20prevalence%20and%20needs%20of%20children%20of%20incarcerated%20parents.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cabhp.asu.edu/projects/research/pdf/epidemiological%20study%20of%20the%20prevalence%20and%20needs%20of%20children%20of%20incarcerated%20parents.pdf

Shelf Number: 122292

Keywords:
Children of Prisoners (Arizona)
Families of Inmates