The Big Picture

Incarceration has become a common experience in the United States, disproportionately affecting racial and ethnic minorities, the poor, and fragile communities. Millions of children and families are left behind as the forgotten victims, enduring significant hardships. This chapter reviews the current research on parental, familial, and sibling incarceration, highlighting the historical context of family separation and its ongoing impact on disadvantaged communities.
What We Did

The chapter reviews existing research on the impacts of parental, familial, and sibling incarceration, exploring the socio-economic, educational, and health consequences faced by affected families. It discusses the historical roots of family separation dating back to slavery and examines the current prevalence of incarceration among parents and siblings in fragile communities. The authors draw on interdisciplinary and culturally responsive approaches to suggest strategies for shifting the narrative from disadvantage to resilience.

1

Widespread Impact of Familial Incarceration:

Nearly half of U.S. adults have been affected by familial incarceration, with the highest rates observed among Black communities and those living in poverty.

2

Effects of Parental Incarceration on Children:

Over 10 million children are impacted by parental incarceration, which is associated with negative outcomes, including poor physical and mental health, disrupted education, and an increased risk of future criminal involvement.

3

Significance of Sibling Incarceration:

Sibling incarceration, a significant but often overlooked issue, places substantial socio-economic and emotional strain on families, highlighting the need for further research in this area.

Understanding the impacts of parental and familial incarceration is crucial for developing effective interventions and policies. The chapter underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach that includes the entire family unit and the broader community. By focusing on resilience and culturally responsive strategies, there is potential to mitigate the negative impacts of incarceration and foster stability in fragile communities.

The authors recommend several approaches to address the impacts of incarceration, including interdisciplinary research, culturally responsive methodologies, and localized analyses that consider the unique needs of each community. They call for improved data collection, program evaluations, and policies that provide alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders. By shifting the focus to resilience and support for affected families, it is possible to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration.

About the Study

This chapter is a comprehensive review of the literature on the impacts of parental, familial, and sibling incarceration in the United States. It draws from multiple disciplines to explore the socio-economic, educational, and health-related consequences faced by children and families in fragile communities. The chapter emphasizes the importance of culturally responsive and interdisciplinary approaches in future research and policy development. The full APA citation is: Wyatt Bourgeois, J., Drake, J., & Henderson, H. (2022). The forgotten: The impact of parental and familial incarceration on fragile communities. In J. Krysik & N. Rodriguez (Eds.), Children of incarcerated parents: From understanding to impact (pp. 65-83). Springer Nature Switzerland AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84713-5_4