The Problem
Today, close to 3 million children of incarcerated parents live in the United States. This means about 1 of every 28 children currently has a parent in jail or prison. Although over 600,000 prison inmates are released each year, two-thirds are arrested again within three years. As many parents return to jail and/or prison, their innocent children experience multiple emotional traumas and loss.

Arizona leads the Western states in rate of incarceration. This has resulted in close to 100,000 minor children with imprisoned parents on any given day. Tens of thousands more currently have a parent on probation.

Children of incarcerated parents are among the most vulnerable populations of children. Often impoverished, they are at high risk for neglect and abuse, academic and behavioral problems, delinquency, and substance abuse. If unattended, these problems can lead to intergenerational patterns of crime.

In spite of these challenges, experts believe that the effects of trauma and loss on young children from parental arrest and incarceration can be mitigated if addressed early and comprehensively.