Collateral Consequences of Incarceration: The Impact of Children's Incarceration on Mother's Short- and Long-Term Outcomes

• In Event: Effects of Criminal Justice Contact on Individuals' Health and Family Wellbeing

Abstract

A well-established body of research exists highlighting the negative effects of parental incarceration on children. However, comparatively little is known about the reverse, namely, how parents are impacted by the incarceration of their children. Quantifying how this event compares to other unique parental challenges including raising a child with a chronic illness or disability and experiencing the death of a child can also help us better understand the lasting impact of such an event. As such, I use data from the NLSY79 Child and Young Adult study linked with maternal reports to examine the impact of a child’s incarceration on various parental outcomes related to maternal employment and earnings, familial relationships, and health. Results are conducting utilizing propensity score analyses. Overall, I seek to examine two main questions: 1) What is the impact of a child’s incarceration on mother’s short- and long-term outcomes and 2) Compared to other stressful experiences regarding their children, where does the incarceration of a child fit into this picture?

Author

• Nicole Harrington, Pennsylvania State University