蜜桃传媒

LOUISIANA听鈥� A new report released today by Daughters Beyond Incarceration and the Southern Poverty Law Center听(蜜桃传媒)听offers a roadmap听for stakeholders听appointed听earlier this year听to serve on a council within the Louisiana Governor鈥檚 office听to听investigate the听impact of听parental听or caregiver听incarceration on children听in听Louisiana听鈥� the prison capital听of the world.听听

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The听report,听Cut Off from Caregivers: The Children of Incarcerated Parents in Louisiana,听describes听parental incarceration听as听a growing epidemic across the nation.听An听estimated听94,000 children听in Louisiana听have听at least one听parent or caregiver who is incarcerated.听That is nearly one for every seven children in the state.听Nationwide, the rate is听one in 28 children.听听听

Due to historic and systemic racism,听Black children and families听experience incarceration at听disproportionate听rates. According to the report,听11.4%听of all Black children听in the U.S.听experience听parental听or caregiver incarceration,听compared to 1.8%听of their听white peers.听In Louisiana, Black people make up 32%听of the听state鈥檚听population but account for two-thirds of听its听prison population.听听

鈥淲hen a parent听or caregiver听is incarcerated, they are not the only ones serving听the听sentence,鈥� said Lauren Winkler, senior staff attorney for the 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 children鈥檚 rights practice group in Louisiana.听鈥�Their children听suffer听severe听social, emotional and economic trauma听that affects every area of their lives,听including听their education听and food security.听To effectively address this issue, we must address听the issue of听mass incarceration听and听the听racism听that听fuels it.鈥�听听

In 2020, Louisiana passed legislation establishing the Council on Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers听within the Office of the Governor听to examine听the impact of a parent or caregiver鈥檚 incarceration on the well-being of children. The Council听is expected to issue its听first set of听findings and recommendations in January 2022.听Cut Off from Caregivers听offers a guide to help inform the Council鈥檚 work.听听

鈥淲e听encourage the Council to engage meaningfully with impacted families and communities and other experts and to identify systemic solutions to ensure that Louisiana can reduce the number of children with incarcerated parents and caregivers and ensure that those children have the resources they need to thrive,鈥� the report states.听听

The Council, which will meet monthly, held its first meeting on March 4. The next meeting is scheduled听for听April听1.听听

Dominque Johnson, chairwoman of the Council and co-founder of Daughters Beyond Incarceration, said:听鈥淏reaking generational cycles for children with incarcerated parents started with the forming of this Council.听As Chairwoman, I will work to ensure this Council produces effective resources to support those who work closely with children with incarcerated parents. More importantly, this听Council will provide public data to describe the percentage of children impacted by mass incarceration in our state.鈥�听听听

To read the report, visit:听.听听

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