As a school drop-out who resorted to gangs and drugs, David Lewis was sentenced to ten years to life in prison at age 19. Against all odds, he rehabilitated himself and devoted his life to community-based drug, alcohol and violence prevention programs. David co-founded Free At Last (FAL) a substance abuse treatment intervention prevention movement that has been documented as one of Center for Substance Abuse Treatment best practices. During its first year, FAL helped to reduce violence in the East Palo Alto community by 87%. David has been featured on Bill Moyer’s documentary, Circle of Recovery and  NOW show in 2003. David was also featured in the BET documentary titled AIDS in Prison and was honored with The Jefferson Award for Public Services.

Described as charming, personable, and funny, David was known as someone with an infectious vision and passion for providing second chances to those many had given up on.  According to the San Francisco Chronicle, East Palo Alto Police Chief Ron Davis said, “He was a stellar person in the community. He worked hard. He wasn’t without fault – he would be the first to tell you that. But to change that into something positive for the community is what I think his legacy will be.”  His  fearless example has had profound effects on the community at large, as well as lasting impacts on the lives of countless individuals. He will be greatly missed.

For more information about Free at Last or to make a memorial contribution, visit them online at http://www.freeatlast.org/.

International News: UN Day of Discussion, International Symposium, New Website and Study, and the 2012 International Study Week/Seminar for Children of Prisoners

1. UN day of discussion on children of incarcerated parents is taking place in Geneva on Sept 30.  FCN was part of the petitioning committee that worked to have Children of the Incarcerated be the focus of this year’s day of discussion in the committee on the rights of the child.  The deadline for submitting written items is August 5.  For more info, visit the following link: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/discussion2011.htm.
2. Save the Date!  FCN will be collaborating with the Chinese Red Heart Association – a non-profit organization in Taiwan serving families of the incarcerated – as they host an International Symposium on Children of the Incarcerated on Sept 13-14 2012 in Taipei.   The purpose of this symposium is to become the cradle of new ideas and understand more about international services (such as clients and particular experiences influencing various service models).  FCN Executive Director, Ann Adalist-Estrin will be presenting on Responding to the Needs of Children and Families of the Incarcerated in the US.  For an English version of their website, visit http://www.redheart.org.tw/index.php?code=list&ids=32. More info to come.
3. Pillars in New Zealand has a new web site for children of the incarcerated as well as a 2010 follow up report on their 2009 study on CIPs http://www.pillars.org.nz/.
4. Wells of Hope will present an International Study Week/Seminar on Children of Prisoners on June 4-9th, 2012 in Kampala, Uganda.  This study week/seminar will discuss and jointly develop an Action Agenda for Children Whose Parents Are in Prison, while promoting friendship, solidarity, and one spirit among people serving vulnerable children whose parents are in prison from all over the world. The week includes visiting remote villages and isolated peoples – especially grandmothers – who care for the children of their children in prison. For more information, visit them online at www.wellsofhope.net.

Safeguarding NY’s Children of Incarcerated Parents

Check out this new report from the Osborne Association’s New York Initiative for Children of Incarcerated Parents, here.

NYC Premiere of Mothers of Bedford

When: Thursday, June 30, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Maysles Cinema, 343 Malcolm X Blvd/ Lenox Ave (Between 127th & 128th Streets
Visit here to see the trailer.

Family Justice Program Publication: Setting an Agenda for Family-focused Justice Reform

Vera Institute of Justice is pleased to announce a Family Justice Program publication titled, “Setting an Agenda for Family-focused Justice Reform” with the help of FCN and other organizations with like-minded goals. You may also be interested in a guest blog by Chris Wildeman from Yale commenting on the report.

Extraordinary Savings Opportunity! The Original Training for Mentors: Mentoring Children of Prisoners-Training for Trainers

by Ann Adalist-Estrin
(Adapted for Program Downsizing)

June 29 and 30, 2011
Centerforce in San Raphael California invites you to attend:

The Mentoring Children of Prisoners Curriculum , created in 2003 has been delivered to 130 agencies in 46 states. It has now been adapted to provide agency trainers/staff with a variety of tools for training mentors to have new or on-going relationships with mentees who have an incarcerated family member. The goal of the training is to assist agencies with providing high quality training in the face of budget challenges and program downsizing. It will give participants knowledge and new skills for initial and ongoing training of mentors, and for  building  an agency wide  base of understanding and awareness about children of the incarcerated, their families, and the community services and programs that can be part of  service delivery partnerships. The training will also include policy and procedure discussion s for preparing mentors for matches that end or transition to different agencies or programs.

Curriculum Contents

I. Mentoring for Children of Prisoners: What it was, what it is and what it can be.
II.Who are the Children of Prisoners? Characteristics and Variations
III.Family Matters
IV.Honoring the Significance of the Incarcerated Parent
V. The Impact of Culture, Race, Language, and Ethnicity on Children and Families of Prisoners
VI. Establishing Trust, Promoting Attachment and Building Emotional Strength
VII. Encouraging Competence and Confidence
VIII. Sustaining Faith, Hope and Meaning
IX. Supporting the Parent/Child Family Relationships of Children of Prisoners
X. Policies, procedures and ethics in match terminations and transitions.
The Mentoring Children of Prisoners/ Training of Trainers is 14 hours of training delivered in 2 days.

The cost of this training is $150.00 per person plus travel expenses and lodging.

The space for this opportunity is limited and participants will be registered on a first come first served basis.

Contact Teresa Lee  at Centerforce TODAY to reserve your space!
Fax: (415) 456-2146
tlee@centerforce.org

First Focus Blog – Uniting Our Voices for Immigrant Children of Incarcerated Parents

For more information and resources, visit First Focus.

New Training Video from Our Partners: “LIFE WITHOUT: Youth With Incarcerated Parents Tell Their Own Stories”

What is life like for children whose mothers or fathers are incarcerated? What happens to parents and grandparents left to care for these children apart from the imprisoned parent? A group of youth spent a week together in the summer of 2009 learning how documentary films are made and then using this new knowledge to tell their own stories of having a parent in prison. The result is Life Without, a series of six poignant vignettes produced by these youth. With a running time of 35 minutes, the video is perfectly suited as a training tool in a wide variety of settings. For more info, including how to order, visit our Products and Publications, Available from Our Partners page.

Arizona Family Members Behind Bars: Difficult Questions Children Ask, and Answers that Can Help: A Caregiver’s Guide to Arizona’s Criminal Justice System from Arrest to Release

This guide, from Kare Family Center of the Arizona’s Children Association, Pima Prevention Partnership, and the AZ Stars Collaboration – is newly available in both English and Spanish, along with an accompanying Activity Packet. Visit our Products and Publications, Available from Our Partners page for more info.

Visiting and How to Get There: A Survey of Program Models Offering Transportation for Prison Visiting

By Dee Ann Newell Policy Forum Writer and Eva DeLair Special Projects Coordinator, NRCCFI

“at the time of my incarceration […] the receiving prison was located about 2 hours from my home but there was no direct bus transportation to the prison.  Each time my mother attempted to bring my son to prison she had to get a ride and that was not easy, she had to depend on the kindness of others, even when offering to pay their expenses getting to prison was a hassle.” -Anonymous

Strong family ties during imprisonment can have a positive impact on people returning from prison and on their children. Some research suggests that parenting programs in prison reduce recidivism, improving the chances of successful re-entry. People returning home from prison who have access to family support fare better than those who do not on a range of re-entry outcomes. Read More =>

CSG Justice Center Unveils Federal Action Plan for Improving Responses to Children of Incarcerated Parents

New York—The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center announced at a Capitol Hill briefing on October 26, the release of Children of Incarcerated Parents: An Action Plan for Federal Policymakers. The plan outlines promising practices and 70-plus recommendations for improving outcomes for the more than 1.7 million children of incarcerated parents. Supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Open Society Institute, the publication reflects the work of an advisory board of criminal justice and child welfare experts, representatives of community-based organizations, and a bipartisan group of state and local government officials.

“Corrections, child welfare, and other agencies that encounter children of incarcerated parents can better coordinate their efforts to provide the care and services they need,” said advisory board co-chair Robin Arnold-Williams, Director, Executive Policy Office of Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire. “The Justice Center partnered with leaders in the field to ensure the action plan guides policymakers on the best strategies to ensure that these children are safe and secure. It is one of the most comprehensive summaries of key policy changes needed for this vulnerable population.”

Read the  CSG Federal Action Plan.

Families and Service Providers Convened

In response to the proposed recommendations by CSG, a series of focus groups and town hall-style meetings were convened by NRCCFI in Arkansas, Pennsylvania, California and Illinois. Read more about the focus group feedback and the CSG Action plan in our Policy Forum.

Research Consultant Susan Phillips also discusses the CSG Recommendations in her Research and Review Commentary.

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 Plus …

Barnard University Focuses Current Webjournal on Children of the Incarcerated

“Children of Incarcerated Parents“ is focus of the Spring 2010 Issues of The Scholar and Feminist Online webjournal from The Barnard Center for Research on Women. Contributors include Ann Adalist-Estrin, asha bandele, Nell Bernstein, Stacey Bouchet, Creasie Finney Hairston, Denise Johnston, Tanya Krupat, Carrie Levy, Venezia Michalsen, Dee Ann Newell, Megan Sullivan and Angie Vachio.

PRICE SLASH on “Shadows: Children, Families and the Legacy of Incarceration”

Check out our Books and Films page for a price slash on the film Shadows: Children, Families and the Legacy of Incarceration
by Tova: Artistic Project for Social Change. Originally $50, this film now can be purchased for $30.

“Be Sure Your Child is Cared For and Safe” – A Flyer from The NYS Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children

This flyer was designed to help parents who have been arrested plan for their children. Though it is a NYS resource, it might be a model for other states. It describes and provides forms to designate a person in parental relation so that their children have caregivers with the legal ability to make education and medical decisions for their children. While the flyer does not provide legal advice, it does explain various short- and long-term options that help parents plan appropriately for their children’s care and provides information about resources that can be helpful to the parent, their children and their children’s caregivers.

You can download the flyer in English and Spanish on the Commission’s website. Copies of the flyer can also be ordered through an electronic order form from this website. The English hard copy is currently available and the Spanish version is expected to be available in June. The flyer will be available for download in Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Bengali, Haitian Creole and French later this year.

New Website – “Time On the Outside: Stories of Families and Incarceration”

In the next few months, Shannon Heffernan, as part of a Soros Media Fellowship will launch a new website: Time On the Outside: Stories of Families and Incarceration.

The site will feature in-depth stories of how incarceration impacts families. The site will help to educate the greater public and let families hear from people in similar situations.

NRCCFI is partnering with Ms. Heffernan to assist her in connecting with families if the incarcerated for this project.

You can participate by sharing your story on the anonymous hotline. Just call: 951-262-3339 and start speaking. The hotline is anonymous, stories may be edited for length, but we will work to be true to the original message.

Program providers can share this with family members or assist them in calling in during program activities.

Suggestions for topics to share include: What was the day your loved one got arrested like? What are some special things you do to maintain contact? What are phone calls or visits like? If you could change one thing about the prison system what would it be? What was it like when your loved one returned? How has your family handled the fiancees of having a loved one away? Whats one thing people don’t understand about families of the incarcerated?

Please direct any questions about this project to Ms. Heffernan by leaving her a message on the hotline.

The Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit: Helping Individuals Released From Prison Maximize Their Earnings

According to U.S. Department of Justice reports, approximately 650,000 former state and federal prisoners reenter society each year. Individuals with criminal records often have trouble finding employment and since they may be “starting over”, their resources are extremely limited. When they do obtain a job, it is often low-wage or intermittent employment, making it difficult for them to achieve financial stability. Another ten million individuals are released from local jails each year and experience similar barriers to employment. The Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit can provide additional support for eligible former prisoners and jail which improve their ability to obtain long-term employment and reduce the risk of recidivism.

In addition, the Department of Justice reports that more than half of the 1.4 million adults incarcerated in state and federal prisons are parents of minor children. When a parent is incarcerated a relative often steps in to care for the child. Since these relative caretakers are likely to not have budgeted for raising a child, the EIC and CTC can help family members who become the caregivers of the child of a person who is incarcerated.

Click here for more information on EIC and CTC, including information on who qualifies and how to get this credit.

Mentoring Children of the Incarcerated Program News

Several regional initiatives focused on the children of the incarcerated have been spearheaded by Big Brothers Big Sisters Agencies with Mentoring Children of Prisoners Programs resulting in unprecedented collaborations and systems change. These types of partnerships are changing public images about children of the incarcerated and are also creating new groups of advocates for the children and their families.

For past news, visit our Archived News page.

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Thank you so much for just existing. I am an ex-offender now working as a Reentry Case Manager. My twins were 3 years old when I was arrested and they witnessed my arrest. I was gone for 9.5 months. I went from being a very involved mom when they were babies to totally checking out due to my drug addiction. My children reacted to my incarceration by regressing. They stopped talking and my daughter was peeing on the floor of the kitchen.

Today, I’ve been home for almost three years and you would never know that a significant trauma had occurred. We were and are fortunate enough to be able to provide play therapy for my children, marriage counseling for me and my husband and individual counseling for myself. While I was incarcerated, I met many people who didn’t have those resources. I feel fortunate and honored to be able to work with many of those people. Right now, I am putting together a workshop on family reunification after incarceration. Your website is invaluable! When I was in jail, I didn’t know these resources existed. I’m so grateful that they do.

Thanks again,

Jennie A.

A Success Story

“When everyone else saw me as a menace, CYWD saw me as a stakeholder.”

Marlene Sanchez was the child of an incarcerated father. Because of this, she had to struggle with many emotions and was labeled a gang member before ever being in a gang. When she was an 11-year-old girl, she was in a fight at school and as a result was taken into county jail where police fingerprinted and took a mug shot of her. They wouldn’t even let her contact her father from Juvenile Hall because they wouldn’t believe that he was not an older boyfriend. At the time, Marlene didn’t find any part of this encounter to be abnormal.

In hindsight, she realizes how wrong that situation was. “It’s vital to think about how society responds to fights or other issues in schools and to reconsider our approach”, she says. “I never want any other 11 year old girl to have to go through the same thing I did”.

At the age of 15, Marlene was hired to do street outreach for the Center for Young Women’s Development in San Francisco. Shortly thereafter, she was picked up and then badly beaten by police who said she was “tagging” (spray painting graffiti). When she went to work at the Center the next day, she told her questioning colleagues what happened. “I hadn’t thought it was a big deal,” she says, “but their reaction was an overwhelming, ‘No, this is NOT OK’”. The group then organized a protest in front of the police department protesting their treatment of Marlene. “This was a pivotal moment for me as a young woman,” she says, “it shifted the way I saw the things I had normalized in my community and proved to me that young women had the power to make change.”

Marlene continued working with CYWD where she had the opportunity to explore interests in doing work on health issues, in juvenile hall and prisons, and with political prisoners. Her personal experiences – coupled with the empowerment, skills, and opportunities provided by CYWD – informed her passion to make sure that young women in the street economies and in the juvenile justice system weren’t forgotten about – that someone would be there to look out for them and not just stand up for them, but stand up with them.

A Different Approach

CYWD targets women who are 16-24 years old. “CYWD answers first and foremost to the women we work with,” Marlene says. The program is a 9 month program – it is wrap-around and intensive, involving various components like mental health, massage, job readiness, critical thinking, political education, etc.

CYWD has found that to be successful in the community, they had to look for public and private youth-focused organization and city departments to partner with while narrowing their focus on the hardest to reach. “We get the girls who are sick and tired of being tired,” she says, “those to whom being in prison wasn’t an awakening experience.” CYWD has had a lot of success with repeat offenders. “It takes intensive work, so this population is an ideal target group for us to focus on”.

Marlene also notes that women who come to these types of programs are often seen as clients – people there to get a service. CYWD, on the other hand, is able to reach young women because they treat them differently – participants are seen as being there to actively define and contribute to their own goals, and CYWD is there to support and work with them as they do so. “There is already a stigma in the juvenile justice system where those involved are seen as unchangeable, the throw-aways of society, but this is not the case and CYWD knows this”. Marlene herself is an example of this fact. “When everyone else saw me as a menace, CYWD saw me as a stakeholder.”

Sisterhood and Lasting Connections

“Wherever young women are, that’s where we are.” This is something CYWD has consistently been known for. News about the program travels by word of mouth and young women are their best recruiters. Some young women come to CYWD because they want their participation in CYWD’s programs to serve as a fulfillment of court mandates. This can be an increased motivation toward their ongoing participation and completion of the program. If a young woman wants to get in, CYWD will fight to make that happen, but she will have to work harder than they do. Marlene says that that engagement from the beginning is something these women need (especially when substance abuse is a factor and detox is an issue). Self referral is one of the important reasons for CYWD’s sucess. “They picked us! Some young women are there because they said they wanted to be, and CYWD will hold them to that”. Marlene says that the fact they are paid to be there is also an incentive that they are held accountable for.

CYWD’s principals and values include social justice, sisterhood, self-determination, and self-value. “Sisterhood means that we hold each other accountable in a loving way that some of us are not used to … some do well and some aren’t ready (which is fine)”. Even if a young woman is there only one day, maybe that is all she needs. These women know the Center has an open door policy and they can always come back. “Women can steal from here and come back 3 years later and be received with open arms, even women who punched doors and were asked to leave can come back,” Marlene says, “We realize that right now might not be a good time, but we’re here when you’re ready.”

Marlene says that opportunities for young women to form connections with each other can be hard to come by, but these connections are “so important to their empowerment. The point is that these challenges and issues are not isolated, and these women need to know they are not alone”. CYWD provides opportunities for women to engage in leadership programs and to form these bonds with other women because “such a big part of their success comes from feeling connected by building self-esteem and relationships.” Participants get to see that there are commonalities – for example, between African American and Latina women, who may have been pinned against each in the past. Instead, CYWD focuses on their commonalities and the power that can be created when women come together.

The Issues that Need Even More Attention

Marlene cites the lack of focus on young women who are pregnant or parenting in the juvenile justice system as one of the issues that doesn’t get enough attention. “There’s really a lack of comprehensive education around health, sex, and parenting. It’s hard because such a high percentage of women are finding out they’re pregnant for the first time or even having gynecological care for the first time when in lock-up.” The first pap-smear Marlene ever had was as a teen, while shackled, in lock-up.

One of the things CYWD is doing about this is working on the Incarcerated Young Mother’s Bill of Rights. It addresses issues such as the discrimination met by mothers who have been involved in the criminal justice system, as well as the lack of information these mothers receive about their rights as parents. There is also a lack of appropriate placement for young pregnant women and mothers. “Policies are coming down to affect pregnant or parenting young women in detention that affect their choices”, Marlene says. For example, whether or not to have an abortion or give their child up for adoption are the only choices in many programs. CYWD wants these young women to have the power to make their own choices and know that the cycle can end with them.

CYWD also has a strong focus on LGBQ issues of young women in the system. 50% of the women in CYWDís programs identify as lesbian. Marlene says this is likely because these young women feel comfortable and safe being “out” at CYWD.

More Success Stories

Marlene has many examples, in addition to her own, of how CYWD has help reverse the cycle – of girls from the system or streets who became involved in and then transformed through their involvement with the program. A few stand out.

A girl of 16 was on a track where she likely wasn’t even going to graduate high school. She completed CYWD’s Sisters Rising program and then went on to do more work with the organization. This included trainings on facilitation for staff and coalition work involving a trip across the country to New York City uniting young women on these issues. After that, she became a Senior Organizer for CYWD before moving on to a Program Associate, and then a Program Coordinator. She is now 20 years old, and in addition to working full-time she is attending college and has her own apartment.

Another young woman was involved in Mothers United and completed the Sisters Rising program. She had a spark of activism in her from the beginning and now is part of the Coalition Against Police Brutality. She has already had lasting impacts – when she had just turned 18 and had a baby, she lived in a group home where she was mistreated – she was instrumental in having it shut down.

CYWD continues to see the fruit of all their work. For example, someone involved in the program some time ago has spoken in front of congress and is now going to law school.

Marlene, herself, is a continuing success story. Among her accomplishment include the recipient of the Harold Atkins award for ending cycles of incarceration presented to her at Centerforce’s 10th Annual Summit in 2009. She also received the Unsung Hero award in 2005 from the Dali Lama. She has two boys, 10 and 3.

Marlene Sanchez

This work takes a lot of investment. “It’s not enough to give these women leadership skills,” Marlene says, “we must also create opportunities for young women to utilize these skills.” In addition, it is crucial to build community and sisterhood with a group of young women whoíve not had that traditional family support (for example, having come from a family torn apart because of incarceration). “These women can become whatever they want to with the right support.”

For More About CYWD …

… their various programs, their unique approach and successes, and resources, visit them online at: www.cywd.org, or contact them via mail or phone:

The Center for Young Women’s Development
832 Folsom Street Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94107
(415)703-8800 ext 1001

Other Programs Like CYWD

Marlene was eager to give exposure to other program like CYWD, she cites:

• GEMS (Girls Educational and Monitoring Service) in New York City: http://www.gems-girls.org/
• Young Womenís Empowerment Project in Chicago, IL: http://youarepriceless.org/
• Young Women United in Albuquerque, New Mexico: http://www.youngwomenunited.org/
• Brooklyn Young Mothers Collective: http://www.brooklynyoungmotherscollective.org/
• Freedom Incorporated in Madison, Wisconsin: http://www.myspace.com/freedomincorporated

A Final Note

CYWD is currently actively recruiting Board Members. Women of any age across the U.S. who want to be involved are asked to contact CYWD. They are especially in search of people with skills around financial management and literacy, organizational development, evaluation, research, and policy.

Written by Rachel Hester.  May 2010.

For prior FCN spotlights, visit the Spotlight Archives.

Responding to Children and Families of Prisoners: A Community Guide

“Indispensable to families, communities and those who work with them. The creativity and compassion embodied in this volume reflect the principles and work of Family & Corrections Network, an invaluable partner to many innovators in our field.”

-Carol Shapiro and Rosemary McGinn, Family Justice, Inc.

Authors Ann Adalist-Estrin and Jim Mustin issue a call to action for communities across America. Distinguishing myth from reality, this new publication describes the serious risks facing families and children of prisoners and the protective factors that help them survive. It lays out choices and challenges facing communities seeking to respond to families of prisoners, lists resources and outlines strategies for action.
Soft cover, 50 pages, 8 ½” X 11″, $16.50

NRCCFI builds on the 25 year history of Family and Corrections Network (FCN) in providing relevant and effective training and technical assistance to programs serving children and families of the incarcerated.

New NRCCFI Onsite Trainings!

General Training

New! Understanding the Impact of Trauma and Attachment Disruptions on Children of Incarcerated Parents

The goal of most programs for at risk children is to provide supportive relationships that  acts as a protective factors in the face of multiple risk factors. While there are no studies that actually conclude that children of the incarcerated are at higher risk for criminal behavior than their peers, we do know that these are children who are at risk for a host of negative outcomes. Nowhere in the literature, however, do we see causal patterns clearly described.

This training will explore a framework for working with children of the incarcerated that builds on new research which examines the experience of parental incarceration in the context of current studies on brain development, trauma and stress. The information presented will train, prepare and inspire staff of programs serving children of incarcerated parents and other at risk youth to better understand the feelings, behaviors and challenges that result from attachment trauma.

This training will combine an agency specific needs assessment with experiential activities and research discussions designed to give participants up to date background information as well as practice in applying this information to a variety of service delivery models through a series of  stories/situations from the field.

Ann Adalist-Estrin will present current research and data related to the connection between attachment, trauma, stress, and brain development from the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child and The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, and illustrate the implications of these data to effective programs for children of the incarcerated and other children/youth at risk. Issues to be covered include: the impact of stress and trauma on the developing brain, behavioral patterns resulting from attachment disruptions and traumatic experiences, the importance of the parent–child relationship as a buffer from trauma, jealousy and competition between parents/caregivers and mentors, the significance of self reflection and perspective shifting as crucial skills for staff, and the importance of including  family strengthening practices in  agency  protocols.

This training is designed to include expert guest speakers from the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated Speakers Bureau such as adult children who survived trauma, parental incarceration and/or domestic or community violence and who will address the role of programs, practices and policies  as protective factors contributing to their successes in life. These appearances may be in person or video /web based.

Training Objectives

Participants will:

• Examine how attachment, trauma, and brain development theories provide a  framework for understanding the impact that adverse childhood experiences such as parental  incarceration and community violence  has on children and families
• Understand how to utilize theories of attachment, trauma, and brain development in designing intervention  protocols for program staff
• Assess the staff/agency capacity for providing high quality relationship building services to children and  families  reacting to trauma and attachment disturbances
• Hear directly from adult children, who have survived parental incarceration and other risk factors, what they needed from programs, services and  program staff.
• Discuss, apply and practice supervision  strategies that will help staff effectively respond to children at risk and their families to minimize difficulties, frustrations and disappointments for the children, families and program providers.

Ann Adalist-Estrin is Director of the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated at the Family and Corrections Network in Philadelphia and a Child and Family Therapist, in Jenkintown, Pa. Ann is also adjunct faculty at Boston University Medical School/Healthy Steps for Young Children Pediatric Training Program where she teaches courses on the impact of parental/adult caregiver behaviors on child development and attachment.

She is an Author, Speaker, and Consultant to a variety of agencies serving children and families with many workshop topics, keynote presentations and trainings delivered nationally and internationally. She has recently presented on “Attachment, Trauma and Cycles of Incarceration” at the Centerforce Summit in San Francisco (October 2009) and the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in Philadelphia (November 2009).

Ann’s article entitled “Reframing the Cycle of Incarceration: Trauma, Attachment and Race” is due to be published in a forthcoming special Issue of Social Work in Public Health. Ann’s other publications include: CHANCE – Caregivers Helping to Affect and Nurture Children Early: A Training Curriculum on the Impact of Domestic Violence on Children for Early Childhood Program Staff (Institute for Safe families, 2005), Mentoring Children of Prisoners: A Curriculum for Training Mentors (CWLA, 2004); Responding to Children and Families of Prisoners:  A Community Guide (FCN, 2003), Mentoring Children in the Juvenile Justice System ( Maryland Mentoring Partnership, 2005) and The Children of Incarcerated Parents Library on line at www.fcnetwork.org. Since May of 2004, Ann has used the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Curriculum to train 105 community agencies in 46 states across America.

Understanding the Impact of Trauma and Attachment Disruptions on Children of Incarcerated Parents is a 1.5 day training and includes:
3 hours of follow up consultation by conference call
2 guest speakers in addition to the trainer
2 DVDs
Fee: $2350.00 plus travel expenses.

Reentry

NEW! When Parents Come Home: The Impact of Parole on Children of Incarcerated Parents and the Programs that Serve Them.

This workshop is designed to explore the issues that arise for children of incarcerated parents when that parent returns from prison. The training will focus on typical reactions to the release of a parent from prison- for children, caregivers, paroled parents, the community and the service delivery agency. This training will include strategies for responding to the needs of paroled parents and their children, address issues and  concerns in identifying and implementing promising vs. evidence based practices.
Duration: 6 hour training session given in one day
Fee: $1,500 plus expenses

Bill of Rights Implementation Training

NEW! The Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents:  A Framework for Agency Advocacy.*

(* Information on the Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents is available from the developers at the San Francisco Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership; see www.sfcipp.org)

This new FCN training is directed to practitioners and advocates in the field of children of incarcerated parents, and includes their families. Dee Ann Newell will offer a set of skills specifically developed to improve practice and policies impacting  children and  families of the incarcerated.  These include:

1. Strategy Development for Practitioner Advocacy
2. Bringing the Right People to the Table
3. “All Politics is Local:” The Impact of Local, Regional, State, and Federal Policies on your Local Program Implementation
4. Creative media and Press Strategies: Story-Telling Approaches for Advocacy Efforts
5. Who Speaks for the Children of Incarcerated Parents?
6. Assessing Agency Policy versus Public Policy
7. Tools and Outcome Measures for Effective Advocacy by Agencies and Practitioners
8. Sustaining Your Agency’s Advocacy Efforts Over Times

Duration: 6 hour training given in one day
Fee: $1200.00 plus expenses

Mentoring Children and Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

NEW! Moving To Independence: Youth Mentoring Curriculum

This Train the Trainer designed by AAE for the Maryland Mentoring Partnership was piloted with adjudicated youth throughout the state of Maryland in 2007-2008 and is now available through NRCCFI. This training provides information and strategies for training mentors to develop strong and effective relationships with youth involved in the juvenile justice system to prepare them to assist in transitioning or reentry.
Duration: 2 day training
Fee: $3,000 plus expenses

NRCCFI Full Training List:

Onsite Trainings
Telephone Trainings
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These rights, written by journalist and author, Nell Bernstein, and co-author, Gretchen Newby, director of Friends Outside, have guided advocates across the country, and in other countries, as well, as they pursued improved policies and practices that are less harmful and take the children into account.

Here on the FCN website, you will find relevant updates of various groups across the nation who are using the framework of the Bill of Rights for policy improvements. Please let Dee Ann Newell know of activities by your group that are framed by the Bill of Rights.

Updates – April 2010

New by State

State of Washington

The State of Washington’s statewide CFIP advisory committee was de-funded by the legislature, unfortunately, but they have been busy on other fronts-
1) Passed a law (SSB 6639) providing non-prison alternatives to custodial parents convicted of non-violent crimes: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6639

2) Created a toolkit for mental health and chemical dependency providers who work with children of the incarcerated and their families: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/dbhr/youthtxtoolkit.pdf

Thanks for the update to Miriam Bearse.

Updates – November 2009

News by State

Travis County, Texas (Austin)

The Bill of Rights group in Austin, Texas received a grant from the Texas Episcopal Diocese Restorative Justice Committee to continue the effort to initiate policies and practices in line with the Bill of Rights.
The group has set three priorities, combining some of the rights into one working group, with an arrest group, a family impact statement group, visitation, and cross-systems development on services and policies affecting the children. They held a recent working group meeting to establish these groups, and Dee Ann Newell served as the facilitator. Such energy and action was palpable. The groups are convening a mere two weeks later and are quite determined their Rights to Reality organization will be prepared to implement or garner full support by March 2010.

Illinois (Chicago)

The BOR group in Illinois, comprised of multi-organizations concerned with the children of incarcerated parents, mostly in the Chicago area, held their legislative hearings with the Illinois House of Representatives Youth and Families Committee. Adult children, caregivers, formerly incarcerated parents, and providers testified. Two legislators talked about incarceration in their own families and one discussed past substance abuse, quite unusual in public meetings such as this. ‘There is hope for legislation in the spring diverting IDOC funding to family-based treatment. The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless convened a collaboration of groups on the “percent to Prevent” concept with the focus on community-based alternatives.
Shortly after the hearing, the House passed a bill for video visits.

The Community Renewal Society, an ecumenical faith group in Chicago, very dedicated to the issues of the children, made specific requests of the IDOC, including child-friendly visitation policies, no limiting contact to a mere hug at the beginning and end of the visits; consideration of families in parole planning and transfer of parents closer to their families; funding of non-profit programs for visitation by children; 100 beds in family-based treatment programs under the Family Unity model for primary-caregiver parents.
To see an article on the hearings, go to the website of CLAIM (www.claim-il.org).

Arkansas

The BOR coalition in Arkansas helped to promote advocacy to abolish the use of restraints on pregnant, incarcerated women during labor and delivery. On October 2, the federal 8th Circuit ruling in a civil rights case brought by a woman who endured this practice (Shawanna Nelson) denied immunity to the guard who placed the plaintiff in handcuffs and shackles throughout the labor, removed during delivery only and immediately replaced. The case will come back to the federal district court, to be heard on the merits concerning cruel and unusual punishment.

The school-based support groups for youth impacted by a family member’s incarceration has greatly expanded, and division into sub-groups to accommodate all of the youth who want to be involved has meant subgroups of youth in foster care, youth of immigrants who have been arrested or deported, and a group primarily affected by parental incarceration.

Plans for new legislation for One per Cent to Prevent funding, passed previously, a commission to review cross-agency policies affecting children of the incarcerated, and legislation for guardianship subsidies for the relative caregivers will be put forth in 2011, with support-building underway. deeann@arkansasvoices.org or www.arkansasvoices.org

Montana

The BOR coalition in Montana has printed their Family Handbook, addressing all stages of incarceration with tips for caregivers and parents in addressing children’s questions and concerns. For more information, contact Marty@theparenting place.org

New Mexico

Legislation (HB491)  was passed in 2008 which provided appropriations with the goal to avoid unnecessarily taking children into custody when their parents are incarcerated.    Six community-based agencies (i.e. Boys and Girls Club) recently received contracts from their state child welfare agency to provide referral services for police and public child welfare.  The community-based agency that receive referrals from law enforcement also work with the jails to do contact visitation and parenting support for jailed parents, as well as home visits to provide family stability with the caregivers and to provide resources.  They have arranged with their jails to add questions to their booking forms that relate to children, their safety, and any immediate needs the children may experience as a result of the arrest.  They have started traveling around the state to conduct law enforcement training on child sensitive arrest practice with local police and sheriffs.  The legislation included language which required a TA provider knowledgeable about children of incarcerated parents is available to assist public agencies (Angie is the consultant providing this service).   Angie is also currently working with their legislature regarding the impact of state budget cuts, Early release program, and the development of a female parolee/young female parolee program.  The documentary, “Invisible Children” about incarcerated parents will air shortly on their public TV station   (Contact: Angie Vachio, avachio@comcast.net)

U.S. House and Senate

CSG Justice Center Applauds U.S. House and Senate Members’ Introduction of Justice Reinvestment Bill
Bill Helps State/Local Governments Reduce Corrections Spending and Increase Public Safety
Washington, DC—Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), together with Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Dan Lungren (R-CA), introduced legislation yesterday that will provide grants to state and local governments to design and advance data-driven, consensus-based strategies to reduce corrections spending and increase public safety. The Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act of 2009 builds on the justice reinvestment work done by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center in Texas, Kansas, Vermont, Rhode Island and seven other states.

“We applaud the extraordinary bipartisan spirit of this bill, which mirrors the efforts of Democrats and Republicans in states across the country to work across the aisle on this complex issue. It also couldn’t be more timely: legislators have learned that with the kind of information that the justice reinvestment approach provides, state and local leaders have better options than just trying to build our way out of our perpetual prison crowding problems,” said CSG Justice Center Board Chair and New York Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry.
In the past 20 years, state spending on corrections has grown at a rate faster than nearly any other state budget item, increasing from more than $12 billion in 1988 to more than $50 billion in 2008. Despite this increased expenditure, recidivism rates remain high: a Bureau of Justice Statistics report indicated that half of all studied individuals who were released from state prison were re-incarcerated within three years.

In response, the Justice Center has worked with a growing number of states to implement the kind of justice reinvestment approaches promoted by this legislation—which provide policymakers with state-specific, data-driven analyses and policy options to help manage the growth of state prison populations, reduce recidivism and increase public safety.

“This bill will help state and local governments spend their limited corrections budgets in a more targeted, rational way to both manage inmate population growth and protect public safety,” Senator Whitehouse said.
In states where the Justice Center has worked with policymakers who have implemented proposed options, jurisdictions have saved hundreds of millions of dollars in corrections spending. These states have also reinvested a portion of the savings in strategies designed to increase public safety and improve conditions in neighborhoods where most people from prison return.

The Justice Center ‘s justice reinvestment initiative has been supported by a public/private partnership that includes the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Public Safety Performance Project, the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Open Society Institute and the states receiving intensive technical assistance. The Public Welfare Foundation and Joyce Foundation have contributed to this effort as well.

The Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act of 2009 (S.2772/H.R.4080) authorizes the U.S Attorney General to make grants to state and local governments and tribes to help jurisdictions (1) analyze criminal justice trends to understand what is driving the growth in their local jail and prison populations, (2) develop tailored policy options to reduce corrections expenditures and increase the effectiveness of current spending and reinvestment that can make communities safer, (3) implement the proposed policies and programs, and (4) measure the impact of these changes and develop accountability measures.

Sentencing Reform Endorsed by 59 Members of the House of Representatives

For the first time, crack cocaine sentencing reform legislation received a favorable vote when the House Judiciary Committee in July approved the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009, H.R. 3245. The bill introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) ends the distinction in federal law between crack and powder cocaine, thereby eliminating the disparity in sentencing for the two drugs. The next stop is the House floor.

The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. It provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies—informed by available evidence—to increase public safety and strengthen communities.

• To learn more about the justice reinvestment approach, see www.justicereinvestment.org. For more about the CSG Justice Center , see www.justicecenter.csg.org.

• For a copy of the press release from bill sponsors, see http://whitehouse.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=69C4B8F5-4DDF-49FD-B2D6-3D4EBC1C4F4E. A copy of the legislation will be available at http://thomas.loc.gov.

From the CWLA Child Monitor:  Supreme Court Hears Case of Juvenile Offenders

Last Monday, the Supreme Court heard two cases regarding juvenile offenders who received sentences of life in prison without possibility of parole. The cases involve Joe Sullivan, who was found guilty of raping a woman when he was 13, and Terrance Graham, who pled guilty of committing armed burglary at 16. CWLA has signed on in support of an amicus brief in the cases claiming that the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment forbids sentencing individuals to life without the possibility of parole–essentially forcing them die in prison–for crimes other than homicide committed as juveniles.

Attorneys in the case made the argument that juveniles are different than adults. Juveniles are less culpable. Over time, they have the inherit capacity to change and potentially reform. In a similar case, the Court barred the execution of juvenile offenders in 2005 by a vote of 5 to 4, saying that people under 18 are immature, irresponsible, susceptible to peer pressure, and capable of change.

There are just over 100 people in the world serving sentences of life without the possibility of parole for crimes they committed as juveniles in which no one was killed. All are in the United States and 77 of them are in Florida . Louisiana has 17 such prisoners; California , Delaware , Iowa , Mississippi , Nebraska and South Carolina have the rest. It is unclear when an opinion will be forthcoming from the Court.

Your Support is Needed for a White House Conference on Children and Youth

The possibility of a White House conference on Children and Youth is dependent on the passage of HR 618 & S. 938. Such a conference would allow children of incarcerated parents to be considered for the first time in the history of the White House’s conferences on children and youth. To make it happen, contact your congressional delegation and ask them to support these bills. Write to our president, urging his support. With the plight of all children in our nation more precarious than ever, and feedback from international observers that mass incarceration may be the greatest threat to child well-being in the United States, we need to be writing for support for this event. Please do your part by calling, emailing, and writing.

FACEBOOK for Youth Impacted

The National Bill of Rights Partnership has arranged a FACEBOOK group called Youth Impacted by a Family Member’s Incarceration and Re-Entry. We are hoping youth who are impacted will respond with their own topics and to topical questions provided. We are especially interested in hearing about the role of shame and stigma in their lives, as the  more stories we have, the better job we can do in public education and awareness to stop the labeling and stigmatizing of children and youth coping with a family member’s incarceration. Spread the word!

For more information regarding the Bill of Rights Project, contact borpartnership@yahoo.com.