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Family & Corrections Network |
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October 10-12, 1993 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
SOMEONE TO COME HOME TO: PARENTING PROGRAMS FOR MEN IN PRISON Quelqu'un de special a la maison: des programmes pour les peres detenus Debra Key Executive Director P.A.C.T. Inc., Suite D - 2901 W. 6th St., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, TEL.(817) 338-0995 Decrit un programme unique en son genre de developpement des competences parentales qui n'existe que dans l'un des etablissements pour hommes relevant du Federal Bureau of Prisons: programme axe sur la relation pere-enfant entre un detenu et ses enfants. Ce programme est fonde sur la conviction que, si nous voulons reduire le comportement criminel dans notre societe, nous devons commencer par la famille. Ameliorer les conditions sociales constitue une strategie d'intervention fondamentale. L'auteur de l'article montre, a l'aide de statistiques, qu'il est urgent de fournir les types de programmes d'education parentale decrits. Donne un apercu de la marche a suivre pour mettre en place un programme de ce genre: depuis l'evaluation des besoins jusqu'aux genres de programmes a appliquer en reponse a ces besoins. P.A.C.T., Inc. is a non-profit organization that began operation 9 years ago at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Worth, Texas. Since 1987, P.A.C.T. has worked primarily with an all-male inmate population. The following 12 minute video entitled "DADS" will give you an overview of the services P.A.C.T. provides and how the program has influenced the lives of several male inmates. (Show video.) Why bother with men? Historically parent/child programs have been offered in institutions housing females, but not in those housing men. The P.A.C.T. program at F.C.I. - Fort Worth remains the only parent/child program of its kind in an all-male institution in the federal prison system. Bureau of Justice statistics note the following: -In 1991 of the 711 643 state prison inmates only 5% were female and 95% male. -One million persons are serving time in some type of correctional facility in the U.S. -In 1991, 1 out of 156 persons were in prison. By the year 2000, 1 out of 99 Americans are projected to be in prison. -1 out of 4 black males are in jail or on paper. It is estimated that by 1995, 50% of all black males will be incarcerated or on paper. -80% of all male inmates are divorced by their spouses while in prison (generally during the first year of incarceration). -Most inmates were raised in single-parent households, over 25% had parents who abused drugs or alcohol, and 37% had at least one immediate family member incarcerated. -56% of the incarcerated men had a child or children under 18 years of age. 90% of the male inmates reported their children living with the mother. 5 in 10 males lived with their children prior to incarceration. Does the father's incarceration affect the family? YES! Incarceration affects the family in numerous ways. The loss of financial, physical, and emotional support. Children especially experience feelings of guilt, anger, isolation, alienation and often changes in living arrangements. Some people view crime as a social problem, others view it as an individual problem. Regardless of one's view, social conditions relate to the prevention of crime. Improving social conditions is a critical intervention strategy. If we want to reduce criminal behaviour in our society we must begin with one's first social encounter, the family. The family is the first place we learn values; the difference between right and wrong; our relationship to humanity; and our respect for authority. Most correctional facilities still maintain an attitude that destroys and tears apart the inmate's family structure. By locating prisons in hard to reach, isolated areas; limiting contact visits with family members and giving little concern to inmate family needs, the one structure that could possibly restore that person to our society is destroyed. The one concern I hear the most often from inmates is not about legal battles, but concerns about their families. Are my children being taken care of? Does my wife have enough money? Family communication and support is extremely important to the inmate. It is his outside link to the free world. It is his hope for the future. Strong family ties and support not only makes a difference in the daily life and management of the inmate, but in his future success on the outside as well. II. DEVELOPING PROGRAMS THAT WORK The first step in developing a successful parent/child program is to conduct a needs assessment survey among the inmate population at your institution. A needs assessment survey should provide information on the inmate's family situation (number of children, primary caregiver, number of visits, distance traveled or visits, etc.) and what their primary concerns are regarding their children. After completing and compiling information from the needs assessment, programs can be developed that meet the specific needs of the inmate population. The following suggested programs can be adapted to any male correctional facility: A. Children's Center - Providing a child-oriented visiting room encourages family visits and positive interaction between parent and child. By providing games and activities that parents and children can do together it keeps the inmate in touch with the developmental changes and problems his child may be experiencing. Many fathers will discover their child for the first time through their visits in the Children's Center. The Center can provide a positive experience and lasting memory for children visiting their father. B. Parenting Education - For most incarcerated men parenting has been left up to the mother. Many male prisoners grew up with no male role-model or a very negative one, therefore, they lack the ability to provide positive parenting to their children. Parenting IS a learned skilled. By providing parenting classes to inmates men have the opportunity to learn how to be a parent and, be a positive role model for their children. C. Social Services - Meeting the special needs of an all-male population means meeting the needs of their families. Housing and transportation needs for family visits is always a major concern. A visitors handbook that includes visiting regulations, area housing and transportation resources can assist many families in making arrangements for visits. D. Children's Day - Since 1987 P.A.C.T. has helped sponsor Children's Day at F.C.I. - Fort Worth. On Father's Day each year children between the ages of 2 and 14 are escorted inside the compound to visit with their father. Children are given the opportunity to visit their father's room, eat lunch and spend a few hours just with dad. The day also consists of carnival activities. This is a very special time for both the inmate fathers and their children. It also relieves many of the fears children have concerning the whereabouts of their father. E. S.K.I.P. Support Groups for Kids - Support for Kids with Incarcerated Parents (S.K.I.P.) began in 1987 and provides support groups for kids with parents in prison. S.K.I.P. can be conducted during prison visitation with just the children or through the local community. The S.K.I.P. curriculum available through P.A.C.T. consists of 30 lesson plans addressing 5 problem areas: self-esteem (developing respect for self); family relationships (developing respect for others); decision making (understanding choices and consequences); substance abuse (coping with a family member who is a substance abuser); and prison life (coping with a parent in prison). Over 4000 children have participated in SKIP since 1987. Evaluations of these children have consistently shown improved self-esteem along with improvement in school behaviour. III. CLOSING In a study done in the 1980's, over 1/4 million children were separated from their parents each year by prison walls. That number is estimated to be over a million today. Children with parents in prison are 5 times as likely to become delinquent or incarcerated themselves. Being abused or neglected as a child increases the likelihood of arrest; as a juvenile by 53%; as an adult by 38%; for violent crime by 38%; and overall odds of criminality increases by 40%. YES - with 95% of our prison population being men and 56% of them being fathers, we should provide parent/child programs for men. These programs make a difference not only in the inmate's successful return to the free world, but also early intervention can make a difference in the intergenerational cycle of incarceration. (Show slide presentation "Someone to Come Home To".) |
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