American Institutes for Research Listening Session Summary—11

Appendix A: Participant background infographic* *Data were gathered for the infographic via SurveyMonkey prior to the Listening Session. N for each item may vary because not all 

participants responded to the survey, nor were they required to answer all questions. See Appendix C for the full list of questions.

3 reported their mothers were incarcerated

8 reported their fathers were incarcerated

4 reported both parents were incarcerated

0-2 years

old

3-5 years

old

6-9 years

old

10-13

years old

14-17

years old

18-21

years old

Over 21

years old

13.3%

20.0%

73.3%

66.7%

60.0%

13.3% 13.3%

< 1 year 1-2 years 3-5 years 6-10 years 11-15

years

16-20

years

> 20 years Multiple

sentences

Other

7.7% 7.7% 7.7% 7.7%

23.1%

7.7%

15.4%

38.5%

0.0%

5 out of 13 reported that their parent(s) 

served multiple sentences

0-2 years old

20.0%

3-5 years old

13.3%

6-9 years old

40.0%

10-13 years old

20.0%

14-17 years old 6 out of 15 reported 6.7%

that they were 

6-9 years old 

at their parent(s)’ 

first incarceration

the majority 

reported that they were 

6-17 years old 

across their parent(s)’ 

sentences
American Institutes for Research Listening Session Summary—12

8 reported living with their 

parent immediately prior to the 

incarceration

7 reported not living with 

their parent immediately prior to the

incarceration 

All15 youth have siblings...

8 reported negative effects

of incarceration on sibling relationship

5 reported positive relationships

during parents’ incarcerations

5 reported personal or sibling involvement in the 

juvenile or criminal justice system

Other parent

57.2%

Grandparent

28.6%

Another family 

member

7.1%

Foster family

7.1%

Fighting 

Drifting apart 

Being separated

Not knowing each other

Living with different family members

Sticking together

Becoming closer { Caring for each other

{

8 out of 14 reported 

that they lived with 

their other parent 

during the incarceration
American Institutes for Research Listening Session Summary—13

6 reported communicating via letter 

3 reported communicating via phone

3 reported communicating in person

3 reported communicating via other methods

3 reported not communicating

Weekly

33.3%

Daily

20.0%

No 

communication

20.0%

Every 2 weeks

13.3%

Every 6 months

6.7%

Once per year

6.7%

5 out of 15 reported that 

they communicated 

weekly with their 

incarcerated parent(s) 

No visit

28.6%

Every 3-4 months

Every 2 weeks 21.4%

14.3%

Monthly

14.3%

Once per year

14.3%

Weekly

7.1%

4 out of 14 reported that 

they did not visit 

their incarcerated parent(s)
American Institutes for Research Listening Session Summary—14

3 reported being less than 20 miles from incarcerated parent

2 reported being 21-50 miles from incarcerated parent

3 reported being 51-100 miles from incarcerated parent

3 reported being 101-200 miles from incarcerated parent

3 reported being more than 200 miles from incarcerated parent

3 reported being less than 30 minutes from incarcerated parent

2 reported being 31-60 minutes from incarcerated parent

5 reported being 1-2 hours from incarcerated parent

1 reported being 2-3 hours from incarcerated parent

3 reported being more than 3 hours from incarcerated parent

10 reported using a car to travel to incarcerated parent

1 reported using a bus to travel to incarcerated parent

2 reported using a train to travel to incarcerated parent

2 reported using other means to travel to incarcerated parent
American Institutes for Research Listening Session Summary—15

9 reported relying on others for 

transportation to incarcerated parent

5 reported not relying on others for 

transportation to incarcerated parent

5 out of 14 reported availability of special 

event days at their parents’ incarceration facility

5 out of 15 reported access to 

community support programs 

“Sometimes your legal 

guardian doesn’t want to 

take you to see your 

incarcerated parent.”

-A.N., 21 — New Britain, CT

“I think ... the barriers ... kept 

people from communicating 

(visiting, age), the finances (phone 

bills), lack of transportation to visit.”

-W.A., 17 — San Francisco, CA

“Some mentors will drive 50 

miles for you to see your 

parents, there needs to be 

more of that.”

-D.A., 18 — Portland, OR

LISTENING SESSION QUESTION:

“What services (programs, supports) did you draw upon and what helped you the most?”

“When I was younger I was in centers and 

Arkansas Voices, but as I got older there was 

nothing there for us. Once you hit 13 or 14 you 

have to deal with it on your own. I was with other 

kids, so it made me feel it wasn’t just me. At the 

time, the group I was in, everyone’s mom was in

the same prison, so that made it easier too.”

 -B.A., 22 — Little Rock, AR

“I was in the Osborne Association. They 

organized trips with our parents and there 

were other kids there. That helped because

I thought I was the only kid in the world 

going through this. Other kids would ask 

what’s wrong, but I didn’t know if they would 

use that information against me or judge me.

-H.A., 16 — New York, NY

“Basketball helped me a lot. My mom liked 

basketball, and it helped me so much, like I'm doing 

this for you. Now I'm in Girl Scouts [and] I get to play 

basketball with my mom and do different activities, 

like ... draw pictures with her.”

-D.E., 17 — Philadelphia, PA

“I'm in School Club POPS. It’s writing club where 

you don’t have to talk about what you’re going 

through, you can just write. For me it’s better than 

talking. POPS has been really supportive.”

-A.M., 15 — Los Angeles, CA

“I turn to my talents. I stopped fighting because that 

wasn’t giving me anything except suspensions. I'm a 

poet, well I'm a lot of things, but I turned to writing. I 

formed public speaking skills, because my goal is to 

go into prisons to talk to dads.”

-W.A., 17 — San Francisco, CA
American Institutes for Research Listening Session Summary—16

Yes

66.7%

No

33.3% 10 out of 15 reported 

having a parent return

from being incarcerated

LISTENING SESSION QUESTION:

“What are your suggestions for preparing parents and young people for reentry?”

“I was not prepared at all. After he 

came home after nine years, it felt like 

we had a stranger at home.”

-A.N., 21 — New Britain, CT

“When my dad got out when I was in 

third grade, he came by my school 

and I didn’t know. I ran up to him but 

didn’t want to cry and be made fun of. 

Nobody understood that I hadn’t seen 

my dad in years.”

-W.A., 17 — San Francisco, CA

“My biggest fear is if my mom does come home, people 

might try to get revenge on her/harm her. You never 

know what could happen to them when they are out.”

-D.E., 17 — Philadelphia, PA