Lecture room: Árnagarður – 311. Click for a map.
Working institution
Kimberly Stauss, Ph.D. University of Arkansas School of Social Work, Leigh Sparks, Ph.D. University of Arkansas, Department of English,
Kaitlin Grant, MSW, University of Arkansas, School of Social Work
Abstract
The high incarceration rate of Americans over the past several decades has been a disturbing trend. While it has started to reverse for men, the incarceration rate of women has continued to rise. Just when incarcerated mothers are needing the most assistance to help them reconnect with their children and rebuild their families, state and federal funds for prison programming are diminishing. There are few evidenced-based treatment programs for incarcerated women with promising outcomes, and scarcer yet are treatment programs designed specifically for incarcerated mothers. In fact, the failure of such parenting programs to focus upon the needs of the children as well as the needs of their incarcerated mothers in these situations may encourage the children’s own possible future criminal actions. Recognizing this failure of prison programming to adequately address the unique needs of incarcerated women and the children they have left behind, the researchers will present a conceptual model specifically focused on women who are incarcerated. This therapeutic treatment program is designed to help incarcerated women reconnect with their children through the processes of writing letters and then discussing those letters within a group of other incarcerated mothers and two outside facilitators. Developing a model that understood the significance of the gendered experience and employed strategies to empower women when they are in prison was the primary goal. This program allows the incarcerated mother to take real action to enhance her relationship with her child(ren) after first attending to her own emotional needs. The researchers will present current research on program options for incarcerated mothers, the theoretical underpinnings of the model presented, and an overview of the key components of the model. The authors will conclude by presenting the recruitment strategy, an overview of session topics, lessons learned, and implications for future research.