Prison, Motherhood, and the Welfare of the Child in the African American Community

• In Event: The Effect of Incarceration on Parents and their Children

Abstract

Children of incarcerated mothers are more likely to be placed into foster care than children of incarcerated fathers. This is particularly apparent among women of color, specifically African Americans, who are disproportionately convicted of drug related crimes. Many of these women are the sole primary caregivers of children under 18 and for some, mandatory drug sentences removes them from a significant portion of their children’s lives, and in some cases leads to a loss of parental rights. There is structural disconnect in policy between the goals of two governmental entities. While the criminal justice system seeks to provide punitive consequences for criminal offenders, social service agencies seek to provide rehabilitative services to preserve the dynamic of the family. This exploratory analysis will critically examine: 1) the marginalized experience of incarcerated African American mothers whose children are placed in foster care; 2) institutional barriers and system-wide challenges in maintaining the mother-child relationship; and 3) systemic challenges that effect the community at large. The theoretical juxtaposition of critical race theory and feminist perspectives will be used to explore reasons for this disconnect in policy with an examination of rehabilitative efforts and alternative sentencing that consider the mother-child dynamic.

Authors

• Renita L. Seabrook, University of Baltimore

• Chenelle Jones, Ohio Dominican University