IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 623 

Recognizing the importance of providing services to children of incarcerated 

parents. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 15, 2017 

Mr. CARSON of Indiana submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of providing services to children 

of incarcerated parents. 

Whereas the number of children with an incarcerated parent 

has increased nearly 80 percent in the past 20 years; 

Whereas an estimated 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 children have 

a parent in State or Federal prison, yet few resources 

exist to support young children and families coping with 

this life-changing circumstance; 

Whereas studies suggest that 30 to 50 percent of incarcerated fathers do not see their children while they are in 

prison; 

Whereas research suggests that children of incarcerated parents may struggle more with academic achievement and 


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•HRES 623 IH 

behavioral problems than their peers who do not have a 

parent in the criminal justice system; 

Whereas children of incarcerated parents are 6 times more 

likely than their peers to be incarcerated themselves at 

some point throughout their lives; 

Whereas children of incarcerated parents need guidance on 

how to express emotions related to absent parents, while 

their caregivers need help maintaining routines and establishing age-appropriate communication around incarceration; and 

Whereas providing children with coping strategies and additional emotional resources, such as mentors, trained 

teachers, skilled counselors, and strong foster families 

can help them feel comforted and secure throughout this 

difficult time: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the unique challenges facing chil3 dren who are growing up with one or both parents 

4 in prison; 

5 (2) recognizes the need for more research and 

6 guidance on the impact of children interacting with 

7 the criminal justice system; 

8 (3) recognizes that more resources and services, 

9 such as schools, after school programs, mentors, 

10 health care providers, and the juvenile justice system 

11 need to target the specific needs of children of incar12 cerated parents in order to reduce the cycle of fami13 lies in the criminal justice system; 


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1 (4) recognizes the needs for capacity-building 

2 training for service providers to address the needs of 

3 this population; 

4 (5) supports research and the building of com5 munity partnerships to provide a comprehensive plan 

6 to meet the needs of individual children struggling 

7 to balance the difficulties of academic, social, and 

8 economic stability while a parent is incarcerated; 

9 (6) supports law enforcement training programs 

10 that will factor in the emotional and physical well11 being of children when their parents are arrested; 

12 (7) recognizes the needs to provide parents with 

13 constructive skill building programs so that, when 

14 appropriate, they can maintain a healthy relation15 ship with their children while in prison and after re16 lease; 

17 (8) supports strengthening the access parents 

18 have to health care, education, housing, and job 

19 training services so that they can be productive role 

20 models for their children post-release from a correc21 tional institution; and 

22 (9) supports research into the use of technology 

23 to explore alternative means for communication with 


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1 the goal of maintaining bonds between incarcerated 

2 parents and their children when appropriate. 

Æ 


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