M-CoP Mentoring Children of Prisoners
In February 2008, the Pew Research Foundation for the States released its US prison population report, noting that for the first time 1 out of 100 Americans are incarcerated. Recent statistics further note, approximately 2.2 million children and youth in the United States have at least one parent in a Federal or State correctional facility – approximately 1-33 children have an incarcerated parent. These children are 72% more likely than other children and youth to become involved in juvenile or adult corrections themselves.
North Carolina has long lead the nation in many categories relevant to prison population (number of inmates, percentage of state work force and budget spent on corrections). And sadly, Durham County statistics are substantially worse than an overwhelming majority of our state. The 2006, FBI Crime Report notes Durham County crime was 46% higher than the national average across the board. As a community we are leaving a generation of high risk children abandoned in many neighborhoods.
BBBST is committed to addressing this issue for our next generation with our Mentoring Children of Prisoners (M-CoP) program. In addition to suffering disruption in the relationship with their parent, these young people often struggle with the economic, social, and emotional burdens of the incarceration. There are gaping hole in the lives of these children above the absence of a parent or parents. The impact of this incarceration can be devastating to these young people in many ways:
•The events surrounding the actual incarceration can be traumatic.
•Their living conditions-both before and after the incarceration- are usually unstable.
•They are uncertain of their future.
•They often feel shame, anger, and other troubling emotions.
•Many experience a sense of detachment.
These children are serving everyday of their parent’s sentence with them on the outside.
We are partnering with our counties and state correction systems, health and human services, community and faith based organizations as we establish a comprehensive approach to providing early childhood intervention in the lives of these children. We are working with local government, corporations, our great universities, leaders in child psychology and youth development, along with our signature national mentoring organization to develop the training and resources to put caring adult role-models (educated and prepared in these unique issues) into the lives of our most vulnerable children.
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