Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children (FY 2022)

This program will provide funding to support states and units of local government to develop programs within detention or correctional facilities to respond to the needs of incarcerated parents who have children younger than age 18. This program supports activities that foster positive family engagement between incarcerated parents and their children within detention and correctional facilities, and implement programs and services that support the children of incarcerated parents to reduce the likelihood of antisocial behaviors and future involvement in the juvenile justice system.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Goals

The goal of this program is to assist states and localities in developing or expanding services that meet the needs of incarcerated parents and their minor children to, reduce recidivism and provide support for minor children.

This program will:

• Develop strategies and approaches to strengthen the relationships between incarcerated parents and their children.
• Seek to reduce the incarcerated parent’s behavioral infractions during incarceration and recidivism postrelease.
• Provide services to foster positive youth development for children of incarcerated parents.
• Develop innovative approaches to enhance child/parent communication, such as the use of tele-visiting, emailing, letter writing, audio recordings, and transportation assistance for in-person visits and facilitation for virtual visits.

Objectives

Program objectives include:

• Provide support to facilities for staffing, equipment, tools, and resources to create child-friendly spaces.
• Develop safety protocols and procedures for children who are visiting their incarcerated parents.
• Develop a coordinated system for the provision of programs and services that support the needs of incarcerated parents and their children.

Deliverables

Program deliverables include:

• Implement strategies that strengthen the relationships between incarcerated parents and their children while maintaining safe facilities.
• Provide services that meet the needs of children of incarcerated parents.
• Provide reentry and transitional services for incarcerated parents that focus on parental responsibility.

For more information, see the most recent OJJDP grant solicitation and materials.