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Editorial
Editorial Archives
Friday, December 17, 2004; Page 16
The Child of a Prisoner
Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., will hold an Angel Tree party this Saturday, December 18, for 150 Washington metropolitan area at-risk youth who have an incarcerated parent. A press release about the event states, “By default, the more than 2 million children of America’s prisoners are forced to do hard time—time spent growing up with a parent missing from their daily lives.”
While the event, which is a joint effort between Allen Chapel A.M.E Church and Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program, is critical during holidays like Christmas, it’s a year-round issue of tremendous significance, as studies show that children of prisoners are five times more likely to end up in prison themselves (U.S. News & World Report, April 2002). These kids are at a greater risk for child abuse, neglect, illiteracy, crime, violence, incarceration, teen pregnancy, depression, premature death and substance addiction the press release states.
With statistics that reveal that 1 in 142 U.S. residents are now in prison and 1 in 32 Americans (6.9 million) were incarcerated, on parole or on probation at the end of last year, it is easy to see how the children of those in the penal system can get lost in the shuffle.
Conversations about incarcerated men and women seldom mention the effect on the families they leave behind. Almost every story of an individual living their life behind bars has a story about a newborn, toddler and teenager eating away at its core.
The communities that these children are a part of will hopefully adopt the “it takes a village” mentality and seek to fill any gaps that are within their limits to fill. Men will, hopefully, embrace young males and take on the burdens that only fathers bare. Women should also try their best to nurture young females whose mothers are absent due to imprisonment. A collective effort is needed to further the work of churches like Allen Chapel A.M.E., organizations like Prison Fellowship and programs like Angel Tree.
The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors or the staff. The Washington Informer is published weekly and submissions are welcomed. The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for grammer and length. Submissions should be sent via email to feedback@washingtoninformer. com (Subject: Commentary); by fax to 202-574-3785; or by mail to Commentary, The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., SE Washington, DC. |
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