May 15, 2019

3:00 P.M. –4:30 P.M. EST

American Institutes for Research

On Behalf of: Interagency Working 

Group on Youth Programs
INTRODUCTION BY CHERI HOFFMAN, CHAIR OF THE 

INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON YOUTH PROGRAMS

▪The Interagency Working Group on Youth 

Programs is a collaboration of over 20 

federal departments and agencies that 

support youth-focused programs and 

services. 

▪The IWGYP sponsors the website 

youth.gov. 
TODAY’S PANEL:

❖ Savannah, Youth

❖ Juliette-Marie deSousa, American 

Institutes for Research

❖ Dr. Rebecca Shlafer, Developmental Child 

Psychologist, University of Minnesota 

❖ Brendan Cox, Former Albany NY Chief 

❖ Katie Clark, Anti-Violence Coordinator, 

Albany Police Department 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

My dad had a warrant for his arrest and the police came 

to my house while I was home on school break and 

arrested him. It seemed like so many officers were in my 

house but my mom said there were only 5 police officers. 

I remember a woman officer who was very mean and 

wouldn’t let my mom take me out of the apartment or let 

me say anything to my dad and then another officer said 

let her come hug her dad so she knows he’s okay and I 

ran to him hugging him so tight until my mom said I had 

to let him go.
HOW LONG DID YOU FEEL THE IMPACT OF YOUR 

FATHER’S ARREST?

I would replay that day over and over in my head at least 

until my dad came home a year later. I remember I would 

be in school thinking about it or when I was home it 

would just pop in my head and make me upset. I hated 

seeing how rude the police were to my dad.
WHAT HELPED YOU COPE?

▪ Hugging my dad.

▪ My mom explaining to me what was going on.

▪ I would talk to my therapist about my feelings.

▪ Talking on the phone with my dad everyday so I knew he 

was okay. 

▪ Having people that were there for me whenever I needed to 

talk- like my mentor Roz. 
3 THINGS THAT COULD HAVE MADE THE 

EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT FOR YOU

▪ The police being nicer to me.

▪ Not getting held back from hugging my dad. 

▪ If they would have let me leave the house when my 

mom was trying to get me out.

CALL TO ACTION

Unfortunately Savannah’s story 

has played out too many times 

when the parent of a child is 

arrested.
CALL TO ACTION

In 2013, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced 

that the International Association of Chiefs of Police 

(IACP), along with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) 

would develop a model protocol and training on 

protecting the physical and emotional well-being of 

children when their parents are arrested. 
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN OF ARRESTED 

PARENTS

The IACP along with numerous subject matter experts developed what has come to be known 

as Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents.

▪ Guide/Model Policy

▪ PowerPoint slide deck with notes

▪ Video clips of arrests (instructional)

▪ Lesson plans

▪ Suggested Q & A

▪ Materials to distribute to participants

▪ Written to be personalized for each jurisdiction 

Some of these subject matter experts include individuals that work very closely with IWGYP:

▪ Tanya Krupat, Program Director, Osborne Association

▪ Ann Adalist-Estrin, Director, National Resource Center on Children and Families of the 

Incarcerated 
SCOPE OF PROBLEM

▪ 50 to 60% of incarcerated adults are parents. 

▪ 2.7 million children have a parent in prison or jail. 

▪ Parental incarceration rates especially for mothers have increased. 

▪ Nearly 50% of children exposed to family violence witness an arrest.

▪ Having an incarcerated parent is known to be an “Adverse Childhood 

Experience.”

National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES)

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is the term used to describe all types 

of abuse, neglect, and other potentially traumatic experiences that occur to 

people under the age of 18.

Adverse Childhood Experiences have been linked to:

▪ Risky health behaviors,

▪ Chronic health conditions,

▪ Low life potential, and

▪ Early death.

As the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk for these outcomes.

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

PARENTS IN STATE AND FEDERAL PRISON AND 

THEIR MINOR CHILDREN

Source: Glaze & Maruschak, 2008
WITNESSING A PARENT’S ARREST IS AN 

INCARCERATION-RELATED EXPERIENCE

❖ General environmental risks (e.g., poverty) vs. incarcerationrelated experiences

▪ Witnessing parent’s criminal activity.

▪ Witnessing parent’s arrest.

▪ Witnessing or participating in court process or parent’s 

sentencing.

❖ “The context of parental arrest, more so than the actual arrest, 

may be particularly frightening for children.” (Dallaire & Wilson, 

2010)
DEVELOPMENTAL CONSIDERATION
DEVELOPMENTAL CONSIDERATION

Social

Physical

Emotional

Cognitive & 

Language 
HOW MANY CHILDREN WITH INCARCERATED 

PARENTS WITNESS THEIR PARENT’S ARREST?

❖ Previous estimates vary widely

❖ Dallaire and Wilson (2010)

▪ 95 parents (52% fathers; 48% mothers) incarcerated in a regional jail.

▪ Children ranged in age from 7-17 years.

▪ 38% of fathers and 21% of mothers reported the child witnessed their arrest.

❖ Dallaire, Zeman, and Thrash (2015)

▪ 236 mothers incarcerated across six jails.

▪ Children ranged in age from 6-12 years.

▪ 32.9% witnessed mother’s arrest.

▪ 8.3% witnessed father’s arrest.

❖ Shlafer et al. (2019)

▪ 315 fathers incarcerated across 4 jails.

▪ Children ranged in age from 3-17 years.

▪ 25% of fathers reported the child witnessed their arrest.
WITNESSING PARENT’S ARREST AND CHILD 

ADJUSTMENT

❖ Exposure to Incarceration-Related Experiences associated with 

“emotional difficulties, including anxiety/depression and less 

emotional regulation skills, as well as problems with receptive 

vocabulary which may make success at school difficult” (Dallaire & 

Wilson, p. 413). 

❖ Exposure to incarceration-specific risks (including arrest) is strongly 

associated with internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, 

even after controlling for general environmental risks.

❖ Model arrest policies consider children’s developmental needs and 

acknowledge that witnessing a parent’s arrest is often a traumatic 

experience.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY

❖ What is the Purpose? 

The primary goal of a safeguarding policy is to minimize 

the trauma experienced by the child who witnesses a 

parent’s arrest and the separation caused by the arrest 

while maintaining the integrity of the arrest and the 

safety of officers, suspects, and other involved 

individuals. (IACP Model Policy). 
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY

❖ What it Does?

Provides guidelines for officers when: 

▪ Answering a call for service where children are present;

▪ Arresting an individual where children are present;

▪ Ensuring children are not left alone when an individual is taken 

into police custody; 

▪ Planning and executing search warrants; and, 

▪ Temporary placing children with caregivers due to separation 

from parents.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY

❖ Why it is Important? 

▪ Minimizes trauma.

▪ Reduces liability.

▪ Increases legitimacy.

▪ Creates better relationships.

▪ IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!
IMPLEMENTATION AND TRAINING

❖ BJA/IACP Resources

▪ Implementation Guidelines

▪ Model Policy 

▪ Guideline for Police Executives

▪ Webinar Series

▪ Roll Call Training Video

▪ 1.5 Hour On-line Officer Training

▪ 15 Minute Executive Briefing

▪ Pre-Arrest Checklist 
CREATING PARTNERSHIPS

❖ A key component of a successful program is to establish strong 

partnerships with community cohorts. Strong partnerships allow for: 

▪ Opportunities for enhanced training;

▪ Better interagency communication;

▪ Better results for children who need to be placed in 

temporary custody due to the arrest of a parent/guardian;

▪ Appropriate follow-up with children and parent/guardian; and, 

▪ Establishment of written guidelines between agencies outlining 

roles and responsibilities.
STRATEGIC PLANNING

❖ How do you get officer buy-in?

❖ Establish Safeguarding policies that are implemented with the appropriate 

level of training --are traditionally supported by police officers because they:

▪ Reduce liability;

▪ Provide an understanding of how an arrest or negative police 

interaction can be traumatic to a child;

▪ Provide guidance on planning and responding to calls for service 

where children are present;

▪ Increase officer safety; and,

▪ Increase empathy.
STRATEGIC PLANNING

▪ The Albany Story

▪ Key partnerships

▪ Osborne Association

▪ The Healthy Hearts 

Initiative

▪ Integrating the policy into 

the department’s 

strategic plan

▪ Winning over a 

generation

▪ Examples from the field
IACP/BJA RESOURCES

❖ Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents Toolkit

❖ Roll Call Video Training

❖ Osborne Association

❖ IACP Additional Resources Page

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE INFORMATION YOU 

GET? 

❖ Prevention Services Unit at Albany Police Department

▪ Civilian Roles

▪ Outreach officers – traditional and non-traditional.

❖ Implications for Youth Outreach

▪ Dedication to provide support for youth.

▪ Ability to attend training and implement programming that 

supports 21st Century Policing.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE INFORMATION YOU 

GET? 

❖ Recognizing and understanding the role of trauma in child 

development and behavioral issues

▪ Adverse Childhood Experiences Training.

▪ Mind Science

▪ Implications for interactions with children and adults.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE INFORMATION YOU 

GET? 

❖ Collection of information as a result of Safeguarding Children of 

Arrested Parents policy -> Handle with Care

▪ Partnership with School District

▪ Procedures for notification

▪ Notifications made

▪ Obstacles for the City

o City School District vs. Charter Schools vs. Private/Parochial

o Non-School-Aged Children

THANK YOU!

Learn More/Contact Us:

❖ Visit: www.youth.gov/coip

❖ Email: youthgov@air.org

❖ Sign up for the COIP Listserv: http://youth.gov/coip-listserv

❖ AIR Contacts:

Juliette-Marie deSousa

jdesousa@air.org

Simon Gonsoulin

sgonsoulin@air.org