A Developmental Perspective on Children With Incarcerated Parents

Parental incarceration is a socially relevant topic with substantial implications for children, yet it is understudied by child development scholars. About 2.6 million U.S. children currently have a parent who is incarcerated, and by age 14, one in 14 U.S. children experiences a resident parent leav...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child development perspectives 2021-03, Vol.15 (1), p.3-11
Main Authors: Poehlmann‐Tynan, Julie, Turney, Kristin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child Development
children
Children & youth
Correctional Institutions
Developmental Stages
Imprisonment
incarcerated parents
Institutionalized Persons
Intervention
Longitudinal Studies
Mothers
Older children
Parent Child Relationship
Parents & parenting
Policy Formation
Prisoners
risk
Well Being
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Summary:Parental incarceration is a socially relevant topic with substantial implications for children, yet it is understudied by child development scholars. About 2.6 million U.S. children currently have a parent who is incarcerated, and by age 14, one in 14 U.S. children experiences a resident parent leaving for jail or prison. In this developmentally oriented review, we summarize research on associations between parental incarceration and child well‐being, and suggest areas where developmental scientists can contribute. While most analyses of large population‐based U.S., datasets have found that experiencing paternal incarceration typically has detrimental implications for child well‐being, especially as children grow older, analyses of maternal incarceration have yielded less consistent findings. Longitudinal population‐based developmental studies focusing on parental incarceration, especially early in life through adulthood, are urgently needed to answer basic questions, clarify mixed findings, inform policies, and develop interventions for vulnerable children.
ISSN:1750-8592
1750-8606
DOI:10.1111/cdep.12392