NEW YORK – More than 1 million women in the U.S. are serving time in prison. And the majority of them are mothers with at least one child under the age of 18.
That means there are more than 2.5 million children in America with an incarcerated parent.
While women are incarcerated, and even after they are released and serve probation, it can be difficult to maintain relationships. It can be difficult, too, for children to cope with having a parent behind bars.
The stigma around families and prison is real, says Sharon Content, who has struggled to support one of her own family members serving a prison sentence. The experience inspired her to start Children of Promise NYC, a nonprofit organization trying to provide a better safety net for families in the prison system and, in turn, break what is too often a generational cycle of incarceration.
“You’d be surprised [at] the [number] of individuals who say ‘I never thought about that population.’ They say, ‘Well, the parent made a decision. It’s their fault that their child is now dealing with this particular issue or challenge,’” Content said.
CPNYC runs an after school program that provides an emotionally safe space for children, whether that means offering therapy, music lessons, time to write letters to incarcerated family members or ways to let off steam.
“The child wears that burden [of a parent in prison],” Content said. “You’ve lost your mom but then you’re not able to receive the support and sympathy and understanding from society.”
America Tonight was invited to sit down with CPNYC students at a roundtable discussion led by a licensed therapist. Here's what they shared with us…
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