Life of children in prison: The Innocent victims of mothers’ imprisonment

Background: Prison is not the space where children should live. A jail can never provide a family environment which every child very much deserves. Stimulating and emotionally supportive care is associated with positive developmental outcomes for children but, in the absence of a family structure, the concept of a home is almost absent in prison. The present study identifies the prison facilities and life of children inside the prison. Study design and method: The field survey is conducted in Dasna prison, Ghaziabad. Data was collected via self reporting method using structured interview checklist. Results: The children residing in prison (the innocent victims of mother’s imprisonment) were primarily deprived of love, care and affection of father and other family members; secondly, there was lack of recreational facilities; thirdly, children were exposed to criminogenic influences (abusive language, frequent fights) of other prison inmates round the clock. Conclusion: The innocent children are living under the vulnerable circumstances of prison that might lead to future development of low self esteem and problem behavior. In addition to this, imprisoned mothers expressed the concern related to child future in terms of behavior, education and social life.