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Home > Case Support > Incarcerated Parents Project > About WDA’s Incarcerated Parents Project > Collaborative Policy Efforts > Advancing the Well-being of Children of Incarcerated Parents
Advancing the Well-being of Children of Incarcerated Parents

NATIONAL POLICY EFFORTS

Please let us know about your state’s efforts to advance the well-being of children with incarcerated parents by emailing WDA IPP’s Resource Attorney, D’Adre Cunningham at dadre@defensenet.org.

 

California

  • Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents – SFCIPP (2005) – Policy Report

This is a policy report produced in support of the Rights to Realities initiative out forward by the San Francisco Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership, a coalition o social service providers, representatives of government bodies, and others who work with or are concerned about children of incarcerated parents and their families.

This organization based in Marin County, California, is a year-round program providing teen leadership, child mentoring, family support, and other programs to meet the unique emotional needs of children with a parent in prison. They engage children at the ages of 8 to 11 and make a long-term 10-year commitment to each child and family.

 

Connecticut 

  • Children with Incarcerated Parents Initiative (CT)- (2017) –Web Link

One of Connecticut’s policy initiative as part of its “justice reinvestment” policy aimed at generating annual savings for the state by limiting the growth of the state prison populations while maintaining public safety and improving conditions in the handful of communities to which the majority of people released from prison return. Since 2007, the Connecticut State Legislature has allocated resources to the Institute for Municipal & Regional Policy (IMRP) to determine an outcome based approach to the state policy on children with incarcerated parents.

 

New York

  • The New York Initiative for Children of Incarcerated Parents – Website Link

This initiative works in partnership with government agencies and community- and faith-based organizations to advance policies and practices that meet the needs and respect the rights of children and youth whose parents are involved in the criminal court system. This project is coordinated by the Osborne Association.

This organization is a community-based, non-profit based in Brooklyn, New York whose mission is to embrace the children of incarcerated parents and empower them to break the cycle of inter-generational involvement in the criminal court system.  

 This  project is an award-winning documentary initiative produced by youth with incarcerated parents. The project explores the issue of mass incarceration and its effects on families, and creates documentary films told from the life experiences of the filmmakers themselves.

 

Oregon

  • Children with Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights (OR) – Statute

SB 241 passed unanimously by the House and Senate of the Oregon State legislature and was signed into law by the Governor Kate Brown on June 22, 2017.   The bill made Oregon the first state to adopt a Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents so that every child whose parent is arrested and/or incarcerated is guaranteed a series of rights, from protection from additional trauma to a life-long relationship with their parent.

 

 

MEDIA: VOICES OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN IMPACTED BY INCARCERATION

This mother and daughter share their perspectives recounting a time when they were separated after Carmen’s arrest.  Produced by Story Corps; originally aired 10/28/2016 on NPR’s Morning Edition. 

This radio podcast is part of a special series “Been There: Lessons form a Shared Experience.”  Aired on 1/16/2018 on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”   Article by Jessica Cheung.