Children Living in Jails!?
What happens to children when their parents are in
prison?
A project exploring prison systems worldwide, their effect
on the family, and a search for better solutions.
Colleen Ryan
Prison, Praxis, and Prisoners
Colleen Ryan
Prison, Praxis, Prisoners
Fall 2008
My praxis project has been a work in progress, continually changing throughout the
semester as opportunities changed. All of the projects attempted dealt with mothers and
their children in prisons. In the end, my actual service was done raising money for
children living in a jail in Bolivia. Here is my journey, I hope you enjoy it!
September 23, 2008:
While at lunch with Jamie Williams and other Campus minster members I mentioned the
class and our project. They gave me so many ideas of possible projects related to class.
They discussed students at Vassar that visit actual prisons and that I should try to connect
with them. Also, on the issue of women and prison which was my main interest, Jamie
suggested a local poet, Sana Shabazz. She did prison ministry but also compiled accounts
of women prisoners into a work entitled, Why Women Cry. I left with many thoughts in
my head and excited about what I could work out.
October 1, 2008:
I researched Sana Shabazz’s book and found her website. I emailed her inquiring if she
was available to offer information. I thought it would be interesting to maybe get her to
come to Marist and read some selected poetry as an entertaining way of informing the
Marist community about the issues. However, attempts to reach her produced no results.
Below is a picture of her book, some information about it, and an excerpt from it.
Sana Shabazz created her own productions in order to produce this work. On her myspace
page, there is an explanation:
"Why Cry Productions" is a production company formed by Sana Shabazz to
highlight and enhance the works of women and their related issues. Its first order
of business is the publication of "Why Women Cry...A Compilation of Stories,
Poems and Positive Responses for the Cleansing of the Eyes and the Soul."
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=252302985
WHY WOMEN CRY...? [Excerpt]
We cry because our toe hurts,
We cry because our friends hurt,
We cry because our hearts hurt by the ones we love the most,
We cry because our loved one left and moved to the West Coast
We cry because we're mensing and our hormones are in charge
We cry because our butt is small--or is it way too large???
We cry because our parents tried to tell us what they knew
We cry because we didn't listen, now life tells us what to do.
We cry because we're angry, upset or in despair
We cry because we don't know why & sometimes we don't care
We cry because God says we can-He put those feelings there
Although I was unable to get a copy of this work, I wish to find a copy in the future to
read more of these poems about issues facing women in situations we learned about in
class.
October 9, 2008:
In class we began to brainstorm praxis project ideas. We discussed an interest in entering
Beacon’s women’s prison. Carola and I both expressed an interest in running a retreat,
specifically a dance retreat. Carola knew someone in charge at the prison and contacted
her to see about volunteering.
October 10, 2008:
I was leading a yoga retreat for campus ministry and while planning decided to do
research on a dance retreat in case the retreat at Beacon worked out.
I looked into other dance retreat groups to try and get information. I sent an email to the
founder of a group called prayer in motion, but received no response.
http://www.prayer-in-motion.com/
October 14, 2008
In class, we learned that we would not be able to get into Beacon to volunteer. Rules had
changed and we would not be allowed in
October 15, 2008
At my brother’s soccer game at Arlington High School I was asking my parents if they
had any ideas for projects. My mom had recently talked with a family friend who worked
at Taconic Correctional Facility In Westchester NY. They had a program for infants to
stay with their mothers. I was really interested and decided I should try and contact them
for more information.
October 22, 2008
My brother sent me Mr. Purdy’s email address so I could ask about volunteering at
Taconic’s program. (Included in the back of the journal is the email sent to Mr. Purdy).
Mr. Purdy wrote me back that same night with contact information. He explained the
facility and told me who to contact. (In back of journal is also the email from Mr. Purdy)
October 23, 2008
I did some research on Mothers in prison in America and also the Hour Children program
at Taconic Correctional Facility.
At Taconic Correctional Facility in Westchester NY the facility is known for being one of
only two prisons in the state that offer on-site nursery care for selected inmates and their
infants. They believe it to be a valuable bonding program that has helped reduce
recidivism. The program started in 1990 and grew out of the program at Bedford Hills. At
Taconic there is space for sixteen inmates and their babies. The program is specifically
designed for mothers diagnosed with alcohol and substance abuse problems. The inmates
are allowed to keep their babies for 12 months and possibly up to eighteen months if it is
possible they will be released from prison at that time. Inmates in prison longer than 18
months must give up their child to other forms of care. At the nursery, inmates stay with
their babies in single rooms. At Taconic they stay together full time for two weeks. After
this period the mother goes to programming during the day while the infant goes to a
nursery run by Hour Children, an outside agency. They are then reunited when the
mothers are done with programming. There are many benefits that have come out of this
program. Studies show that inmates with strong family ties return to prison at lower rates
than those without strong ties. Inmates enrolled in the nursery have lower incidence of
disciplinary problems. Also, many of the inmates did not have good home lives growing
up. Through training at the facility, they learn parenting skills. The program also benefits
the infants. It is beneficial for an infant to bond with its mother at a young age. Also,
living in a communal group setting is good for development of social skills. For this
program, there are pediatricians on call 24 hours a day. Also, the program is helped by
about 275 volunteers from the local community. (Taconic correctional website:
www.correctionhistory.org, 10/23/08).
Outside volunteer visits an inmate with child living in the prison nursery.
http://www.correctionhistory.org/html/chronicl/docs2day/taconic.html
This research made me think more about the issue of mothers in prisons. Before
this class I did not know the majority of those incarcerated were in prison based on
nonviolent usually drug related offenses. I did not know about conspiracy charges where
usually women, wives, sisters, girlfriends etc were serving time because they would not
give information, or they did not know the right information about loved ones'
involvement. In the last ten years the number of women imprisoned is three times the
amount of past years. Seventy five percent of these women have children, and six percent
go to prison pregnant (www.its.org/whentheboughbreaks/mother.html). The real
questions develop when these women are imprisoned; what happens to their kids? Often,
there is nowhere for them to go, and they end up in foster care, with extended family, or
other placements within the state. What about infants? Women who enter prison pregnant
and then their children are taken from them at birth, what impact does this have? The first
few months are important for a mother and child to spend together to develop their
relationship. Related to this issue was a documentary we later watched in class. It was
about women in India and how they are able to keep children up until age five in prison.
Although you don’t want the children to feel punished, maybe we should set our system
up differently. Learning about mothers in prison and their children, really touched me.
There are so many factors involved, and so much opportunity for growth.
** This day was also the first day I placed a call to Kathaleen Linares and the Hour
Children Program
October 24, 2008-November 5, 2008
Every other week day in this period, a call was placed from me to Mrs. Linares and she
would call me back. However, somehow, we missed talking directly for that long. Finally
Mrs. Linares left a message with her email and told me to let her know my availability. I
sent her an email on November 5th (At end of journal is a copy of the email)
November 9, 2008
With no response heard from Mrs. Linares on Volunteering, I contacted Mr. Purdy one
more time asking if there was a better way to reach her.(email is included in back)
November 13, 2008
I tried calling Mrs. Linares one more time, and still did not talk to her directly. They must
be really busy! I had already decided I wanted to help Alanna with her work raising
money to provide children living in jails with medical supplies and support because it
seemed like a great cause. As my plans to volunteer with the Hour Children Program
appeared to fall through, I took a more active role in Alanna’s project.
November 14, 2008
I did some research on children living in jails:
The organization is Child Family Health International:
The organization is designed to help more than 80 children under six years old who live
with their mothers in a jail in La Paz. Their current needs include medical support and
materials, personnel transportation costs and a computer to manage their project. With
modest means, they seem to do a lot of good. www.cfhi.org I found this quote about the
situation in Bolivia and in La Paz, the area we will be sponsoring. I found it interesting:
Over a thousand children across Bolivia live in jails accompanying their parents
while they serve sentences. Most are under the age of six, but many stay beyond
that age, having no other place to go and no one outside to care for them. Many of
the children were actually born in jail and so the life in there is the only life they
know of. It is by no means ideal; indeed many aspects of such an existence are
frightening and disturbing, but once you enter their world you realize that it is not
like anything you could imagine without seeing and experiencing it with them…
http://www.cfhi.org/web/fckeditor/uploaded/File/TaniaCorreareportLaPazSept07.pdf
( I really like this tag line on their website!)
http://www.cfhi.org/web/index.php/program/viewdonatable/id/19
November 17, 2008
We had some speakers come to class recently and, since, I have been thinking
about many issues related to class. It really interested me when Crystal, as well as Fred
and Alice Bunnell came to visit and speak to our class. Crystal had served time in jail and
in a way it was a wakeup call for her. She like many had enjoyed the high standard of
living the drug industry provided her, she made mistakes, young. Now that she is out, she
is trying her best not to violate parole, to work, and to provide for herself and if she can
her daughter. However, the rules are so strict, and no one in government really seems to
make it easier. Crystal explained the bureaucracy and how the system makes it hard for
her to move on, requiring paper work that is difficult to obtain. She did the time, why
should she pay the rest of her life by spending it trying to simply get back on her feet.
Listening to her story, I was frustrated with the system, and wanted to help. One point of
hope was listening to Alice and Fred Bunnell. They are volunteers with an organization
called I CARE. They become mentors to those fighting reentry. (I am hoping to attend a
Family Partnership meeting on December 15th. This meeting deals with those recently
released, and those supporting them, also with aspects of the local community. It would
be really interesting to see how the system is directly affecting this immediate area, also
to see how issues from class are trying to be resolved.
Another issue that struck me is one of restorative justice. In my opinion, when
children or teens are committing crimes, they do not so much need to be jailed, as to be
helped and supported in a way they need. I believe that people are inherently good and
when someone commits a crime, especially a youth, it is a sign that something else is
wrong. The system should be changed so that restorative justice programs can handle
punishments rather than serving jail time. Youths should be able to volunteer and work to
learn from mistakes instead of just serving time and wasting life.
My older sister, currently in grad school for social work in NYC, spent a summer
working with a restorative justice program in Troy, New York. She talked about her
experience and spurred my interest in the subject. Through research I learned about
something called a Community Accountability Board (CAB). This basically is an
alternative sentencing program for non violent, first time offenders. Instead of court, the
offender reports to a group of local community leaders. They are volunteers and together
they agree on an alternative sentence for the offense. Usually community service and
academic achievement are a part of the sentence.
(www.albanycountyda.com/initiatives/CAB.html). When I read this, it really applied to
our class. If we know what works, why are we not doing it? This CAB system seems like
such a better way of handling things. Why is this not implemented in more places? I
thought it related to mothers in prison not only because children in prison are more likely
to go to prison themselves, but also because it is a program trying to get at the root of the
real crime problem which often is related to poverty or lack of opportunity, issues that
can be changed. Also, it seems like a more innovative way to handle problems, which I
feel should also be applied into making policies benefiting children whose parents are in
prison as well.
November 20, 2008
After class I met with some of the other girls planning on helping with the project for
children living in jails in Bolivia. We decided to do as many bake sales as possible. A
bake sale before Thanksgiving break was too rushed, so we decided to plan them
afterward.
November 26, 2008
I decided to place one last call with Mrs. Linares, but again not direct contact
December 1, 2008
Mrs. Linares called me back; I missed the call as I was at practice as usual. However this
time she left a message for me to call a certain number on Thursday December 4, 2008.
I also did some research today on children living in jails so that I could create flyers to
hand out at the bake sales.(the flyers I created are attached in the back of the journal)
According to www.savethechildren.org, I learned that there are about 1500
children living in jails in Bolivia. In La Paz specifically, there are about 90. I cannot even
imagine this lifestyle. Yet most sources seem to be positive on the subject reflecting the
idea that life inside this jail is better than the alternative. While not the ideal place for
children to grow up, it is better than the alternative. In Bolivian jails, families live
together in communal settings, preschools are provided and older children can leave to go
to school. In San Pedro Prison in La Paz, there are even computers and technology
classes for the children (savethechildren.org/countries/latin-america-caribbean) I
I also learned that there are approximately 226 children living in prisons in Afghanistan.
Poverty and safety are the two main motivations to keep children with their mothers. In
prison, aid groups provide children with education and medical treatment not received by
the average Afghan child. (www.clevland.com/world/2008/08/afghan)
Children also live in jails in India. Hyderabad Jail in India is home to 160 women and 15
children. The women are mostly from poor backgrounds, life here may be better than at
home: “Children in India can live with their imprisoned mothers until they are five years
old, and in many cases receive better education, diet and healthcare than they would get
at home.”(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4354712.stm)
December 2, 2008
The girls working on raising money for children living in jails in Bolivia met and decided
on definite dates for the bake sales: Friday December 5th and Friday December 12th.
December 4, 2008
I called three times before finally being able to get a hold of Mrs. Linares. We talked
briefly, she seemed really busy. She said I would be most useful helping babysit in the
nursery Monday and Tuesday nights after 6pm. She wanted me to travel to Beacon CF
because the need for volunteers was there. However, before I could do anything, she has
to mail me volunteer forms. I am going to still try to volunteer, but am not sure if it will
work out. After all of this effort I feel like I should try even if it is in a month or so, but I
will see based on my schedule. If anything, I learned a lot about a great program and
gained contact information for myself or others to volunteer there if there is interest.
December 5, 2008
I made a few batches of muffins, printed out the flyers I had made earlier in the week and
headed to set up for the bake sale. I sat at the table from 11:30 until 1:45. It was a very
interesting experience. We had information flyers and posters explaining our cause, still,
most people walking by asked what we were doing. It was fun telling people about the
program. Most students and adults seemed shocked that children live in jails. I guess it is
an interesting title. The generosity of the Marist community was surprising. I had worked
many tables for campus ministry prior to this event, asking for donations and such, but
students usually rushed by, ignoring the table. Maybe because this was something
thought provoking and different, but many stopped. A few without money took our
flyers. Most bought something or made a donation. Some even specifically stopped at the
ATM in Donnelly just to make a donation. It was great to see such kind hearts. I was
actually surprised.
December 8, 2008
We will be having at least one more bake sale on December 12, 2008. This week, I am
attempting to contact my team, campus ministry and other groups I am involved in to try
and gain more support for the project. (Still no volunteer forms from Hour Children, so
not sure what is happening with that).
.
What happens to the children when their
mothers are in Prison?
- 3 times the number of women have been imprisoned in the last
ten years, due to mandatory-sentencing laws for drug offenses
-75% of these women have children
-6% of these women enter prison pregnant and are separated form
their child immediately after birth
-This effects many families in our nation and yet “There is no
specific public policy nor routine process to coordinate what
happens to the children, even immediately after
childbirth”(www.its.org)
What can be done…?
There are some promising programs that should be promoted:
Taconic Correctional Facility in Westchester NY the facility is known for being one of only two prisons
in the state that offer on-site nursery care for selected inmates and their infants. They believe it to be a
valuable bonding program that has helped reduce recidivism. The program is specifically designed for
mothers diagnosed with alcohol and substance abuse problems. The inmates are allowed to keep their
babies for 12 months, and possibly up to eighteen months if it is possible they will be release from prison at
that time.
There are many benefits that have come out of this program:
Studies show that inmates with strong family ties return to prison at lower rates than those without strong
ties. Inmates enrolled in the nursery have lower incidence of disciplinary problems. Also, many of the
inmates did not have good home lives growing up. Through training at the facility, they learn parenting
skills. The program also benefits the infants. It is beneficial for the infant to bond with its mother at a
young age. Also, living in a communal group setting is good for development of social skills. For this
program, there are pediatricians on call 24 hours a day. Also, the program is helped by about 275
volunteers form the local community.
For more information on this program visit the Taconic correctional website: www.correctionhistory.org,
Children living in jails?!?
Although it may seem barbaric at first, for many around the world,
it is better than the alternative…
Poverty, unsafe conditions, on their own…
Over a thousand children across Bolivia live in jails
accompanying their parents while they serve sentences. Most are
under the age of six, but many stay beyond that age, having no
other place to go and no one outside to care for them. Many of the
children were actually born
in jail and so the life in there is the
August-September
2007
only life they know of. It is by no means ideal; indeed many
aspects of such an existence are frightening and disturbing, but
once you enter their world you realize that it is not like anything
you could imagine without seeing and experiencing it with
them…
http://www.cfhi.org/web/fckeditor/uploaded/File/TaniaCorrearep
ortLaPazSept07.pdf
Want to Help??
-BUY a Baked good, donate money, donate medical supplies:
unopened bottles of children's chewable or liquid Tylenol (or any
other children's chewable or liquid pain relieving medication)
rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and bandages.
http://www.cfhi.org/web/fckeditor/uploaded/File/TaniaCorreareportLaPa
zSept07.pd
,and visit website for more information about the organization!
-According to savethechildren.org,
about 1,500 children are living in
Bolivian jails. While not the ideal
place for children to grow up, it is
better than the alternative. In
Bolivian jails, families live together
in communal settings, preschools are
provided and older children can
leave to go to school. In San Pedro
Prison in La Paz, there are even
computers and technology classes
for the
children.(savethechildren.org/coutrie
s/latin-america-caribbean)
-In Afghanistan there are
approximately 226 children living in
prisons. Poverty and safety are the
two main motivations to keep
children with their mothers. In
prison, aid groups provide children
with education and medical
treatment not received by the
average afghan child.
(www.clevland.com/world/2008/08/
afghan)
- “Children in India can live with
their imprisoned mothers until they
are five years old, and in many cases
receive better education, diet and
healthcare than they would get at
home.”
Hyderabad Jail in India is home to 160
women and 15 children. The women are
mostly from poor backgrounds, life here
may be better than at home.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4354
712.stm)