Children of Parents Incarcerated in Alameda County JailsKATIE KRAMER, MSW/MPHTHE BRIDGING GROUP

Alameda County Overviewo 2,007 people offered surveys

o 1,134 people completed surveys 57% completion rate – “opt in” process

o Jail Distribution 88% from Santa Rita 12% from Glenn Dyer

o Language of Survey Distribution 95% conducted in English 5% in Spanish

Parent ParticipantDemographics (N=878)

Participant Demographics

878 of participants (77%) were parents or primary caregivers for child(ren) ≤ 25 years

Average # children was 2 (range: 1-10+) Among parents / primary caregivers:

◦ Average age was 31 years (range: 18-66)

Gender Language(s) Spoken◦ 90% male 93% English◦ 9% female 17% Spanish◦ 1% trans-male/female 0.6% Mandarin or

Cantonese 6% Other language

Race / Ethnicity

Black; 51%

Latino; 22%White;

11%

Asian orPacific Is-

lander; 5%

American Indian or

Alaska Na-tive; 1%

Mixed / Other;

10%

Total Times Incarcerated Since Becoming a Parent

43% reported their own parents have been incarcerated1 time 2-5 times 6-10 times 11+ times

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

29%

40%

17%13%

Parent/Child Information

Have any c

ustody o

f

≥1 child

?Liv

ing with

≥1 child

before arrest?

≥1 child

invo

lved in

CPS?

≥1 child

invo

lved in

justi

ce sy

stem?

≥1 child

's

other parent

in custo

dy?

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%64% 66%*

9%* 3% 9%*

57% 54%*

25%*

5%

29%*

Male Participant Female Participant

*p<0.05 comparing male and female participants

ChildDemographics (N= 1,781)

Child Demographics1,781 Total # Children ≤ 25 years

Average age was 8 years (range: 0-25)

Gender Primary Languageo 51% Male 92% Englisho 49% Female 7% Spanish

0.1% Mandarin or Cantonese 2% Other language

Race / Ethnicity of Children

Black; 45%

Latino; 20%

White; 10%

Asian orPacific Is-

lander; 4%

American Indian or

Alaska Na-tive; 1%

Mixed / Other; 21%

County Child Lives In

Alameda County; 53%

Outside the U.S.; 2%

Non-CA State in U.S.; 8%

Non-Bay Area CA County; 16%Other Bay Area

County; 8%

San Francisco County; 6%

Contra Costa County; 8%

(same county as participant)

Bay Area, 74%

(San Joaquin, 5%)

Person Child Lives With*

*p<0.05 comparing male and female participants

Adopted

Non-relative

CPS/Foster

Self

Other relatives

Sibling

Grandparent

Other Parent

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

5%

3%

2%

8%

13%

10%

23%

36%

0.1%

0.6%

1.0%

3.0%

2.0%

1.0%

7.0%

85.0%

Male Participant Female Participant

Child Demographics

*p<0.05 comparing male and female participants

Participant has any custody?

Living with participant

before arrest?

Involved in CPS?

Other parent in custody?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

60%*57%*

7%* 7%*

46%* 45%*

24%* 26%*

Male Participant Female Participant

Child’sExperience (N= 878)

Child’s Experience

*p<0.05 comparing male and female participants

Any children present when arrested?

Living with child's other parent when arrested?

Family ever lost income because went to jail?

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

19%

49%*

69%*

16%

28%*

38%*

Male Participant Female Participant

Child Change Where Live?

1 time 2-5 times 6-10 times 11+ times

-25%

0%

25%

50%

75%

55%

41%

4% 1%

54%

43%

0%4%

Male Participant Female Participant

28% of participants have children that had to change where they live because parent went to jail

Child Change Schools?

17% of participants have children that had to change schools because parent went to jail

1 time 2-5 times 6-10 times 11+ times0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

58%

37%

4% 1%

13%

75%

13%

0%

Male Participant Female Participant

Contact withChildren (N=878)

Contact With Any Child?

73% of participants have contact with at least 1 child right now (74% for males, 69% for females)

Phone calls Letters Visits Other0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

86%

60%

47%

2%

82%

63%

35%

2%

Male Participant Female Participant

Barriers to Having Contact

*p<0.05 comparing male and female participants

Phone calls too expensive

Costs too much to visit

Caregiver won’t allow contact

Not good for child to have contact with me in jail

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

49%

39%*

18%*21%

34%

20%*

34%*

14%

Male Participant Female Participant

Barriers to Having Contact (Cont.)

*p<0.05 comparing male and female participants

No money for stamps

Don’t know where child

lives

Child in foster care

Other-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

18%14%

5%11%*

17%11%

6%

29%*

Male Participant Female Participant

Visits With Any Child at Jail?

35% of participants have visits with at least 1 child at the jail (37%* for males, 19%* for females)

*p<0.05 comparing male and female participants

Contact Non-contact (in person) Video visiting0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

8%

94%

1%8%

92%

0%

Male Participant Female Participant

How to Support Visits?

Want contact

Extend visitinghours

Help with transportation

Easier to get & set-up

visits

Improve visiting

environment

Other0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

65%

23%

5% 5%2% 3%

Reconnecting After Release

96% of participants planned to reconnect with at least 1 child after their release

Don’t hav

e

resource

s to

reconnect

Don’t know

where child

is livi

ng

Have paro

le/

probati

on that

prevent c

ontact

with ch

ild Geographic

limita

tions

CPS invo

lvement

doesn’t a

llow

contac

t with

child

Don’t know /

No conce

rns

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

26%

7% 7% 7% 3%

62%

Concerns About Reconnecting After Release

Additional Support for Child?

Positive family

activities

Recreational activities

Support for basic life

needs

Counseling /therapy

Homework /tutoring

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60% 56%

48%42%

35% 35%

Additional Support? (Cont.)

Youth mentoring

Mediation with child’s

caregiver

Restorative justice work

Help locating child

Other

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

26%

15%12% 12% 11%