And Then the World Fell Apart: The Children of Incarcerated Fathers

Abstract

Almost 2 million children in the United States today have fathers who are in prison. Many of these children have been traumatized by the imprisonment of their fathers, and they continue to be emotionally, economically, and socially scarred because of the incarceration. Without intervention, children of incarcerated fathers are five times more likely than other children to become incarcerated themselves. Social workers need to address the children's feelings about their fathers, and help them cope with the trauma and emotional upset caused by their fathers' incarceration. The mothers and caretakers, as well as the incarcerated fathers themselves, need to be helped to develop sensitivity to the plight of the children and help lessen the hurt that has been done to them.