The Children – Incarceration’s Collateral Damage

Children with incarcerated parents are the overlooked victims of incarceration.

Nationally, the number of these children increased by 80% between 1991 – 2007 (Bureau of Justice Statistics), and now stands at 2.7 million.  The number of children living in Los Angeles County who have an incarcerated parent is unknown. We can, however, make an educated guess of their numbers based on what we do know.  Approximately 65% of all inmates have children, and have them at roughly the same rate as the general population (i.e., 2.2 children).

With approximately 19,500 inmates in Los Angeles County jails, 35,000 inmates in California state prisons who are from Los Angeles County, 2,781 active federal supervision cases in Los Angeles County, 57,000 adults on probation and 30,000 on parole in Los Angeles County, a lowball estimated number of children in Los Angeles County who have one or more parent who is currently incarcerated would be 317,418 (19,500 + 35,000 + 2,781 + 57,000 + 30,000 + x 2.2 children per inmate).  An untold larger group of children has a parent who was incarcerated at some point in their lives but who is not currently incarcerated.

Do these facts concern you?
Friends Outside is doing something about them.
tele:  (626) 795-7607
www.friendsoutsidela.org