According to the Department of Justice, 76.4% of the women in State prisons are mothers compared to 59.6% of male prisoners who are fathers . In most cases the children of incarcerated men live with their mothers before, during and after their fathers' incarceration (Johnston, n.d.). When mothers are sent to prison, their children are most likely to live with a grandparent or other relative (75.2%). Consequently, when mothers are sent to prison, children are likely to experience greater disruption than when a father is imprisoned.

Harm & Thompson (1995) found that the majority (84%) of relatives caring for children during their mother's imprisonment experienced major changes in their lives. Problems they encountered included finding child care, lack of transportation for children to visit their mothers, financial set-backs, giving up jobs, and relocating.

Similar findings are reported by Hungerford (

incarceration and lower rates of recidivism, some experts believe that formerly incarcerated mothers may experience greater post-release stress than other offenders. Services to reduce post-release conflicts and lead to the quick stabilization of the mother are therefore critical

United States Department of Justice (1993) Women in Prison, Washington, D.C.: Bureau of

As the number of Americans in prison continues to skyrocket, the imprisonment of a parent will become a more common-place occurrence in childhood. There is an urgent need to document the effect that historically unprecedented levels of incarceration are having on family structure and functioning - particularly as these effect the children of both mothers and fathers in prison.

Maintaining the relationship between children and their incarcerated mother can also be difficult. This can drain minimal financial resources that are already being stretched - especially when relatives live at a great distance from the state's women's prison.

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Approximate Word count = 1894
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)