Paternal Incarceration in Vermont

INFORMATION BASED OFF OF DOC INMATE SURVEY

CHRISTIAN H. BINGHAM.IN CONJUNCTION WITH:

THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

2015

• Breaking the generational effects in Vermont

• How paternal incarceration impacts their children’s likely-hood to be incarcerated

• Example of generational effects of paternal incarceration

• 2010 CRA Grant• States with programs for

incarcerated fathers

• Parenthood Information• Number of children (of

those surveyed)• Children by age

• Research Methods• Vermont state correctional

facility demographics

Presentation Contents

2. DOC Survey General Information

6. Implemented Programs

3. Children of Incarcerated

Fathers

5. Life Course Circle

4. Effects of Paternal

Incarceration

• Bureau of Justice Statistics • Effects of a dysfunctional

childhood on parenting

7. Policy Recommendations

1. Preliminary Findings

Preliminary Findings• Bureau of Justice Statistics: As of 2013, there are over 1.5 million

prisoners in America • Over, 1.4 million male prisoners

• Vermont = 1,479 male prisoners• Connection:

• The way parents act is influenced by their experiences as a child• Along with their level of social support and acceptance

• Dysfunctions in parent-child bonding can have lasting effects on the child’s development• May result in:

• Defiant behaviors, conduct disorders, juvenile delinquency, adult criminality

Preliminary Findings

DOC Survey General

Information

Children of Incarcerated

ParentsEffects of Paternal

IncarcerationLife Course

RepercussionsImplemented

Policies Policy

Recommendations

DOC Inmate Family SurveyGENERAL INFORMATION

Prelim

inary

Findin

gs DOC Survey General

Information

Children of Incarcerated

ParentsEffects of Paternal

IncarcerationLife Course

RepercussionsImplemented

Policies Policy

Recommendations

General InformationDOC Survey

• Sample:• Vermont State Correctional Facilities

• Sample Size: • 379 inmates participated

• Sampling Method:• Every 4th inmate was selected to participate

• Survey Administration:• Face-to-face interviews

• Findings are generalizable among Correctional Facilities in Vermont

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Inmate DemographicsFrom DOC Survey

Gender Race

Male Female0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%88.4%

11.6%

77%

11%5% 4% 3% 1%

Caucasian/WhiteAfrican-American or BlackNative AmericanOtherLatino/a or HispanicNo Response

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Children of Incarcerated Fathers in Vermont

DOC SURVEY FINDINGS

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Incarcerated ParentsPercent Frequency

Parent Father Mother0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

64.1% 63.0%

72.7%

Parent Father Mother20.00

70.00

120.00

170.00

220.00

270.00

320.00

370.00

243.00

211.00

32.00

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Number of Children of Incarcerated Fathers

None or No Response

1 2 3 4 5 6 130.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

16.1%

31.8%

25.1%

14.2%

7.1%

2.8% 2.4%0.5%

Number of children

Resp

onse

per

cent

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

• Implication:• Of those surveyed, there

are 396 Children whose fathers were incarcerated at the time of the research in the state of Vermont

• Overall, there are many more being that only every 4th inmate was surveyed

Children, by age, of incarcerated fathers in Vermont

Under two Between two and five Between six and twelve Between thirteen to seventeen0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

33

134149

80

Age (Years)

Child

Cou

nt

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

8%

34% 38%

20%

Effects of Paternal Incarceration on a Child’s Life Course

DOC SURVEY FINDINGS

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Comparison of the of Age of Inmate’s First Incarceration• Age of first incarceration

= 22 Years old• If their father was incarcerated

= 19 Years old• Impact of paternal incarceration

= 3 Years

Average Father was Incarcerated17.5

18

18.5

19

19.5

20

20.5

21

21.5

22 Age; 21.88

Age; 19.051

Inm

ate'

s A

ge o

f Fi

rst

Inca

rcer

atio

n(Y

ears

)

Sig. = ≤ .001

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Comparison of the Inmate’s Age at the Beginning of Their Current Incarceration• Age at the beginning of their

incarceration = 34 Years old• If their father was incarcerated

= 25 Years old• Impact of paternal incarceration

= Almost 9 Years

Average Father was Incarcerated17

19

21

23

25

27

29

31

33

35

Age; 33.732

Age; 25.061

Inm

ate'

s ag

e at

the

beg

inni

ng o

f th

eir

curr

ent

inca

rcer

atio

n(y

ears

)

Sig. = ≤ .001

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Life Course Circle: Reoccurring Impact

Child: Sam

Sam’s Early life: Father

is Incarcerated

Sam Grows Up with

Adverse Life Experiences

Sam’s Teen years:

Likelihood for less

education

Sam is more likely to be

Incarcerated at a younger

age

Sam has a child of his own

Sam’s own experiences as a child of paternal

incarceration causes his child to be at higher

risk

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

As children, those whose fathers were incarcerated are likely to be (at some point):• In Foster care• Homeless• In Emergency Care or CHINS

Regression analysis: suggests that obtained degree is lower for those whose father has been incarcerated (sig ≤ .05)

30% reported their father was arrested or incarcerated

Average age of first incarceration = 19 years old

63% of Inmates are Fathers

Implemented ProgramsAVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR FATHERS PRE AND POST RELEASE

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Implemented Programs• December 8th, 2010. President Obama signed the Claims Resolution Act (CRA)

• Authorized $150 Million in grants to promote healthy marriage ($75 million) and Responsible Fatherhood ($75 Million)

• Grants went toward:• Kanawha Institute for Social Research and Action, Inc.

• Serves 12 state prisons and 10 regional jails in West Virginia• Lutheran Social Services

• Serves all 5 male South Dakota Department of Corrections facilities• New Jersey Department of Corrections

• Provides prerelease services; available in all 8 New Jersey Department of Corrections Facilities

• PB&J Family Services, Inc. • Provides prerelease services in 1 state prison and 1 county jail near Albuquerque, NM

• The RIDGE Project, Inc.• Provides prerelease services; offered in 3 state prisons in Ohio

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Implemented Programs• The Claims Resolution Act (CRA)

• Programs offered such as:1. Counseling2. Mentoring3. Parental and relationship education4. Financial planning5. Job search assistance6. Transitional employment

• Utah State Prison• Total Parenting Experience

• 9 week program• Aimed at teaching male inmates to be able to care for their children/

grandchildren, when they are released, through the use of simulation dolls

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Policy RecommendationsREDUCING THE EFFECTS OF PATERNAL INCARCERATION

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Policy Recommendations• Implement any sort of program aimed at incarcerated fathers

that:• Promotes healthy and sustainable marriages and relationships• Reduces the possible incidence of child abuse• Teaches fathers how to care for their child• Promotes economic stability within a family unit

• In order to:• Reduce adverse child hood mental and social experiences• Break the cycle of incarceration among fathers and their children

Preliminary

Findings

DOC Survey Genera

l Information

Children of

Incarcerated

Parents

Effects of

Paternal

Incarceration

Life Course Repercussions

Implemented

Policies

Policy Recommendations

Questions?

Bibliography

Fontaine, Jocelyn. 2015. Early implementation findings from responsible fatherhood reentry projects. Urban Institute. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. Retrieved April 14, 2015 (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/fatherhoodreentryprojects.pdf)2015. Community-Centered Responsible Fatherhood Ex-Prisoner Reentry Pilot Project. US Department of Health and Human Services. Washington, DC: Office of Family Assistance. Retrieved April 15, 2015 (http://aosresourcecenter.com/file_depot/0-10000000/390000-400000/398422/folder/1137345/Ex-Prisoner_Reentry_%28Revised+_8_15_2013%29.pdf)http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740907001570Palusci, Vincent. 2007. Changes in parenting attitudes and knowledge among inmates and other at-risk populations after a family nurturing program. Children and Youth Services Review. Elsevier. April 15, 2015. (http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0190740907001570/1-s2.0-S0190740907001570-main.pdf?_tid=fb481b72-ee31-11e4-8b95-00000aab0f02&acdnat=1430286096_2e2e1e21440b4174ed9d8de007ec66aa)