According to a recent report, one out of every 14 children in the United States has at least one parent who has either served a prison sentence or is currently incarcerated. The study was conducted by a research center in Maryland known as Child Trends, which focuses on relevant data involving American youth.
The goal of the study was to examine the prevalence of parental imprisonment as well as the effects that is has on the children involved. The study concluded that an unexpectedly high number of children in the United States have had at least one parent go to prison. A total of more than 5 million children in the United States have been in such a situation.
According to the study, when a parent becomes incarcerated, it has an extremely negative impact on the child in terms of mental and physical health. The child often develops unhealthy practices and behavioral issues. Additionally, the child is also more likely to become malnourished or experience poor academic performance in school.
Furthermore, the study also showed that black children are more than twice as likely as white children to have an imprisoned parent. Indeed, the statistics show that black families are disproportionately affected by the issue, as nearly 14% of all black youths that are between the ages of 12 and 17 have had a parent become incarcerated at some point in their lives.
Still, the numbers might be even worse. This is because the study did not take into account parents who did not live at home with the child when they became incarcerated. Any moms or dads who “left the picture” so to speak were not taken into consideration.
This is a serious issue for children in America. A child who has at least one imprisoned parent is at a serious disadvantage. It’s a shame for these children, as they can’t be held responsible for their parents’ wrongdoings, but they are the ones who suffer.
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