"Working to
Build A Better Community"
"The
probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not deter us from the
support of a cause we believe to be just."
~ Abraham Lincoln
EX-OFFENDER HOUSING DISCRIMINATION
THE BIG PICTURE: REALITY IN THE U.S.
Prison Information
Addiction
and Public Health
Impact on Families
THE REALITY IN MASSACHUSETTS
THE LAW IN MASSACHUSETTS
COMMUNITY RESOURCES IN
MASSACHUSETTS
PROGRAMS IN OTHER STATES
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Creating a stable family is increasingly difficult for ex-offenders post-release because many public benefits can be limited on account of current parole status as well as prior convictions. |
A major obstacle faced by many recently released ex-offenders is not only re-entry into society, but re-entry into their families as well. Many incarcerated people in the U.S. have their own nuclear families. Upon release from prison, ex-offenders face uphill battles in their effort to be dependable to their families and to create stability in their shared lives. Access to housing can help these recently released inmates stabilize their lives, as well as the lives of those who depend on them.
§ 55% of men in prison report having minor children.
§ 65% of women in prison report having minor children.
§ 2% of all minors (1.5 million) have a parent in prison.
§ 2.4% of these children (36,000) live in a foster home while their parents are incarcerated.
§ Only 40% of incarcerated fathers have weekly contact with their children and the frequency of that contact decreases with length of time served.
§ Nearly 80% of incarcerated mothers report having monthly contact with their children.
§ Legislation has made it difficult for incarcerated parents to re-unite with their children following their release. For example, the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act terminates parental rights when a child has been in foster care for 15 months or more of the past 22 months. Incarcerated women serve an average of 18 months in prison. The result of this legislation is that the average woman who is incarcerated and whose children are placed in foster care loses the right to reunite with her children.
Creating a stable family is increasingly difficult for ex-offenders post-release because many public benefits can be limited on account of current parole status as well as prior convictions.
- Individuals in
violation of a condition of their parole can be barred from receiving
welfare benefits (TANF), food stamps, supplemental security income, and
access to public housing.
- Furthermore,
individuals convicted of drug related felonies are permanently banned from
receiving TANF or food stamps.
- Inability to pay back child support can be an additional barrier to the reunification of families. An individual’s incarceration is considered “voluntary unemployment,” so the incarcerated individual receives no relief from his or her child support obligation and the child support debt continues to mount until release.
This lack of an opportunity to create stability can have profound impacts on family dynamics and can lead to the inability of parents to properly care for their children. Access to housing for ex-offenders may help alleviate some of the pressures and give families a better chance of surviving. Organizations included on the community resource list on this site aim to support ex-offenders dealing with family re-unification issues. For more information, please visit the Community Resources, Personal Barriers and Social-Legal Barriers sections of the site.