A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation says that nearly one in ten Wyoming children has a parent or guardian who has spent time in prison or jail.
The report says incarceration can have a negative impact on families and kids. The Wyoming Community Foundation’s Micah Richardson said Wyoming is above the national average when it comes to having a parent in prison. One reason may be the state’s efforts to be tough on crime.
“Looking at it from that perspective of families and kids, you know we still need to make sure that those who committed a crime are paying the consequences, but we also need to look at how is this impacting this broader population that we’ve often not looked at, the kids and the families.”
Richardson says research shows that having an incarcerated parent can be as damaging to children as abuse, domestic violence, or divorce.
The Casey Foundation is calling for more programs to reinforce bonds between children and incarcerated parents. They also want more social services for children and families when a parent is behind bars.
