7 Ways to Support Mothers Behind Bars

The number of mothers behind bars in the United States has grown significantly over the past several decades. According to the Sentencing Project, the incarceration rate for women has increased substantially since the 1970s, leading to major changes for families and communities. The U.S. now has the world’s second-highest incarceration rate for women, as noted in research published by the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

For many of these women, incarceration means separation from their children. This separation can have lasting emotional and developmental effects. The Women’s Prison Association explains that incarcerating mothers often creates a “family crisis,” disrupting stability, attachment, and caregiving, all of which have major impacts on children.

At the same time, maintaining a connection between parent and child can play an important role in rehabilitation and long-term outcomes. While reunification is not always possible or appropriate, there are many meaningful ways to support mothers behind bars and help preserve healthy bonds with their children.

1. Learn about the impact on families

Understanding the realities faced by mothers behind bars is an important first step and can be supportive in and of itself. Many children of incarcerated parents experience emotional distress, instability, and stigma.

The Equal Justice Initiative highlights how the over-incarceration of mothers takes a serious toll on children, affecting their mental health, education, and long-term stability. In many cases, children may be placed with relatives or in foster care, which can add additional layers of difficulty and uncertainty.

Learning about these impacts can lead to more informed and compassionate responses. It also creates a stronger foundation for advocacy and support efforts.

2. Support organizations that keep families connected

There are several organizations that focus specifically on helping mothers behind bars maintain relationships with their children.

Motherhood Beyond Bars offers programs designed to support incarcerated mothers while strengthening family bonds. Inmate Moms provides resources and services aimed at preserving the connection between mothers and their children during incarceration.

Supporting these organizations through making donations, volunteering, or simply raising awareness can help expand access to programs and is a great way to offer encouragement to mothers behind bars.

3. Volunteer pro bono or offer professional support

Professionals can play a meaningful role in supporting mothers behind bars, particularly when it comes to legal advocacy and navigating complex systems.

Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) connects volunteers with pro bono opportunities that support individuals involved in the legal system. For incarcerated mothers, this type of assistance can be critical in addressing custody arrangements, advocating for visitation rights, and maintaining a legal connection to their children.

Even small contributions of time or expertise can have a significant impact on a family’s ability to stay connected during incarceration.

4. Advocate for policies that support family connection

Policies and institutional practices can either strengthen or weaken the relationship between mothers behind bars and their children.

A CUNY opinion article outlines several ways states can help incarcerated mothers stay connected, including expanding visitation options and improving communication systems. In many facilities, barriers such as high phone call costs and limited visitation access make it difficult for families to maintain regular contact.

Advocacy efforts can focus on reducing these barriers and promoting policies that recognize the importance of maintaining family connections. Supporting reforms in this area can help create more opportunities for communication between mothers and their children.

5. Mentor and support mothers during and after incarceration

Mentorship can provide stability, encouragement, and guidance to mothers behind bars as they navigate incarceration and prepare for reentry.

Ongoing support during reentry is also critical, and rebuilding relationships with children often requires time, structure, and additional resources. Programs like Hour Children connect volunteers with formerly incarcerated women in the process of reentry who could benefit from consistent support and connection.

Mentors can help mothers maintain a sense of identity, build confidence, and stay focused on their role as parents.

6. Serve as a host family or support children directly

Supporting children directly is another important way to support mothers behind bars and their families, whether serving as a mentor for a child or taking on the role of a caregiver.

Through Hour Children, families can sign up to serve as a host family to provide a stable, nurturing environment for children while their mothers are incarcerated. This type of support can help reduce disruption in a child’s life and create more opportunities for ongoing communication and connection.

Providing stability for children also supports mothers, who often experience significant stress related to their children’s well-being while they are separated.

7. Share and encourage healthy coping strategies

Maintaining a connection with children while incarcerated can be emotionally challenging. Supporting mothers behind bars also means helping them cope with separation and limited contact.

Prison Fellowship outlines coping strategies for incarcerated parents, including ways to remain emotionally present and engaged with their children despite physical distance. These strategies can include writing letters, maintaining consistent communication when possible, and finding ways to express care and support from a distance.

Encouraging access to these resources can help mothers sustain meaningful relationships with their children.

Recognize the importance of balanced support

Supporting mothers behind bars requires a balanced and realistic approach. While not every situation allows for reunification, maintaining a connection between parent and child, when appropriate, can support both rehabilitation and long-term well-being.

By learning more, supporting organizations, volunteering, advocating for change, and helping children directly, individuals and communities can contribute to stronger outcomes for families affected by incarceration.

 

Written by Adam Wernham

 

About Us

Blackstone Career Institute has been serving incarcerated students since the late 1970s. Our correspondence Paralegal Certificate Program has reached individuals in over 2,000 facilities across the nation. Every year we hear from students who share stories about their journey through the program, the legal system, and what they have learned about themselves. This is more than education – it is the power of transformation.

If you’re interested in joining the movement and sponsoring a student, learn more here or contact us at info@blackstone.edu.