Family members of incarcerated individuals are often referred to as the hidden victims. The name stems from the fact that these persons are neither acknowledged nor heard. In this group of people, children are the most affected, especially when their mothers are incarcerated. The parent-child relationship is a crucial aspect of child growth and development. However, incarceration separates children from their mothers and fathers, especially when individuals face lengthy sentences. The quality of the bond between the parent and the child is regarded as a crucial determinant in the child’s later success. The affected children have a high propensity to antisocial behavior, psychological problems, criminal activity, and economic hardship. Such scenarios further place a strain on the relationship between the child and the parent. Incarceration negatively affects the child-parent relationship due to social seclusion, emotional detachment, and the lack of a primary caregiver.
The high rate of incarceration is well-documented in the United States. During the 1970s, only about 340,000 Americans were held in the correctional facilities. However, the number has dramatically increased as 2.3 million individuals are imprisoned today (Martin, 2017, p. 3). The most significant social problem associated with this is that parents with children are incarcerated, leaving their young ones behind. Since the 80s, the number of children with imprisoned mothers has increased by approximately 100%. For fathers, the rate is 75% (Martin, 2017, p. 4). Incarceration has negatively affected the parent-child relationship in many significant ways. The first area of concern revolves around the social seclusion. Research has established that about 2.7 million children have incarcerated parents (Cochran, Siennick, & Mears, 2018, p. 478). Therefore, this means that more than two million children in the country live without one or both parents. Social seclusion occurs when the members of a family cannot integrate and form a meaningful bond. Some children end up growing without knowing their mothers and fathers. The integration of children with their families is affected both at the micro and macro levels (Cochran et al., 2018, p. 484). Besides breaking the bond, social seclusion acts as an antecedent to antisocial behavior and delinquent behaviors.
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The child-parent relationship suffers significantly due to the emotional detachment that occurs both ways. The success of any relationship relies significantly on the ability to relate with one another at an emotional level. As illustrated by Poehlmann-Tynan et al. (2017), "Parental incarceration may cause disruption in children's attachment relationships because of the enforced separation that occurs" (p.389). The case can be worse if the parent and the child lived together and enjoyed a meaningful emotional attachment at the time of incarceration. Children left behind by incarcerated parents might be forced to live with extended family members who might never relate to them emotionally. The child ends up facing trauma and developing mental health problems such as stress and depression. Poehlmann-Tynan et al. (2017) assert that some children might end up feeling guilt, thinking that they are responsible for their parents' incarceration (p.389). Others might grow up blaming their parents for not being with them during such a crucial period in their lives. During reintegration into society, many mothers and fathers find it difficult to relate with their children at the previous emotional level. The emotional detachment can give birth to a callous attitude among children and adolescents. It can be a critical source of rejection, poor attitude, and lost love due to inadequate emotional connection.
Most children with incarcerated parents do not have the primary caregiver. In most cases, when one parent is incarcerated, the children live with the other parent. However, research has shown that most children end up living with their grandparents when mothers are incarcerated. Studies have also shown that about 10% of incarcerated mothers reside in foster care (Nesmith & Ruhland, 2011, p.1). The remaining caregiver and the environment might further widen the parent-child relationship. Research shows that two fundamental factors determine how the remaining caregiver will impact the bond. The first aspect revolves around the distance between the caregiving environment and the prison facility. The second factor is the caregiver's willingness to avail the child to the prison during the visitation days (Nesmith & Ruhland, 2011, p. 1). In cases where children live with their grandparents or foster care, the case can be more complicated. Due to age, grandparents might find it difficult to send the children to visitations. Some foster care facilities might be oblivious to the need to take the children to visit their parents. Most of the families left behind by the incarcerated individuals face underlying problems such as discord, poverty, substance abuse, and a history of criminal behavior (Nesmith & Ruhland, 2011, p. 1). Such aspects might complicate issues when considering the need to take children for visits. Eventually, the parent-child bond is affected to the point of no return.
In conclusion, Incarceration negatively affects the child-parent relationship due to social seclusion, emotional detachment, and the lack of a primary caregiver. The rate of incarceration has dramatically increased in the US over the last few years. Most children have been compelled to live without a primary caregiver in their life. Social seclusion means that these children are separated from integrating with their loved ones. More so, parents are the main source of emotional attachment for the children. Besides the affected bond, these children are exposed to social and economic problems that further expose them to crime, antisocial behavior, and deviance.
References
Cochran, J. C., Siennick, S. E., & Mears, D. P. (2018). Social exclusion and parental incarceration impacts on adolescents' networks and school engagement. Journal of Marriage and Family , 80 (2), 478-498.
Martin, E. (2017). Hidden consequences: The impact of incarceration on dependent children. National Institute of Justice Journal , 278 , 1-7.
Nesmith, A., & Ruhland, E. (2011). Caregivers of children with incarcerated parents. The Open Family Studies Journal , 4 (1)
Poehlmann-Tynan, J., Burnson, C., Runion, H., & Weymouth, L. A. (2017). Attachment in young children with incarcerated fathers. Development and Psychopathology , 29 (2), 389.
