Parental Carceral Obligations and Institutional Engagement Decisions

• In Event: Navigating Mainstream Institutions and Non-Traditional Alternatives Post-Incarceration

Abstract

Many incarcerated people are parents and experience challenges with financial debt upon release. This paper focuses on a subset of formerly incarcerated study participants who report being financially responsible for one or more children as a parent or caregiver. We examine how this responsibility influences reentry and reintegration experiences, including interactions with various financial institutions and employment decisions. Participants also discussed child support payments (or alternative informal payment arrangements), how they spent their COVID-19 relief checks, and how they perceive their current financial situation. Based on the themes from the interview data, we generate a set of policy recommendations for supporting formerly incarcerated parents and caregivers in the reintegration process.

Authors

• Patrice D. Collins, Northeastern University

• Cassidy Pereira, Northeastern University

• Megan Denver, Northeastern University