The Effects Of Parental Incarceration On Children: An Examination Of Delinquency And Criminality, School Performance And Alcohol And Drug Usage

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of parental incarceration on children and youth. The main objectives of this study are to validate previous research on delinquency and criminality, and poor school performance of youth whose parents have been under correctional supervision (jail or/and probation). In addition, this study aims to examine the prevalence of drug and alcohol use in this population. This study utilizes the data set from the Children at Risk Program. This program was a drug and delinquency prevention program that was implemented in 1992 to 1996. The electronic data set was obtained from the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data. Findings from this study reveal no differences between delinquency and criminality, poor school performance, and alcohol and drug use among youth whose caregiver had been on probation during the past 12 months or in jail during the past 12 months. However, findings revealed that youth at Time 2 whose caregiver had been on probation during the past two years or in jail once, twice, or several times in the past two years shows a higher frequency of delinquency and criminality, poor school performance, and alcohol and drug use than their counterparts whose caregiver had not been under correctional supervision. The conclusions in this study support the literature that identifies delinquency and criminality, poor school performance, and alcohol and drug use among youth with parents under correctional supervision. Although very little differences were found in youth whose caregiver had been under correctional supervision during the past 12 months, this study does show that parental criminality may have an effect on youth. Therefore, caregivers, educators, counselors, and community advocates need to be educated on this negative effect on youth and steps taken to support children and youth during this stressful time.