The Impact of Maternal Incarceration on Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes: Research Findings from a National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health

As studies repeatedly show an increase in the rates of detainment among women, findings also indicate that maternal incarceration has been associated with inappropriate and inconsistent discipline, youth problem behaviors, and serious delinquency [10][16][7]. Research has also illustrated that mother’s incarceration is associated with instability among children, many of whom are less likely to complete their education and are more likely to be incarcerated themselves in later adulthood [12][18] [7]. High levels of delinquency among this group suggests that generational patterns of violence may exist among the youth who live in the homes of incarcerated mothers [12], and social interaction often defines how parental incarceration, family functioning, parenting strategies, and child adjustment might be correlated [10].