Why analyze and map data on children of incarcerated parents?
The experience of having a parent incarcerated, compounded by the attendant stress it creates for the entire family, has been found to produce a range of negative impacts on children. Children may suffer from emotional, developmental, and behavioral difficulties; their caregivers and other family members are often burdened with increased financial and emotional stress; and the entire family must face the social stigma of having a family member incarcerated (La Vigne et al. 2008; Davies et al. 2008). Some studies also suggest that children of incarcerated parents are at increased risk for criminal justice system involvement later in life (Murray and Farrington 2007). Despite the significant vulnerabilities parental incarceration creates for families, very little quantitative data exist on the number of children of incarcerated parents or their experiences and needs. This population of children is almost invisible, as schools, child protective agencies, and other social service agencies
