Letter to a Formerly
Incarcerated Mother, by Donnie Nicole Belcher
This letter of
reconciliation expresses the complex experience of having an
incarcerated mother. Belcher describes both the anger of growing up
with her mother in prison and the love that transcends that anger.
Keywords: Keywords:
Children of Prisoners,
Personal
Narrative.
From Jail to Yale, by Chesa
Boudin
In this first person narrative, Chesa Boudin writes
about the fate of children with incarcerated parents and also reflects
on the experiences he and a close friend shared growing up with
incarcerated parents. While talking about the real life effects of
incarceration on family life, Boudin looks at the different paths that
he and his childhood friend took in response to their situation.
Keywords:
Children of
Prisoners,
Personal
Narrative.
Do I Have to Stand for this? by
Kimberly Burke
Kimberly Burke, a mother in prison tells a story
of an interaction while her 7-year old son is visiting What convinces
him to not want to come back. She uses her experience to talk about the
large numbers of prisoners that never get a visitor. The enemy lines
between prisoners and guards create a kind of hostile environment in
which no one wants to be apart of. Keywords:
Guard-prisoner
relations,
Children
of Prisoners,
Personal
Narrative,
Prison
Life.
Cracked Lenses: The Visual Exploitation
of Crack Mothers, by Alexandra Cox
In this article, Alexandra
Cox discusses the use of images of "crack mothers" and "crack babies" to
reinforce sexism and racism. Keywords:
Media,
Substance Abuse,
Reproductive
Rights.
Children Do Hard Time for Their Parents'
Crime, by Kim Mikesell
Kim Mikesell tells the price that
children pay when parents are incarcerated. Keywords:
Personal Narrative,
Children of Prisoners,
Motherhood,
Substance Abuse.
Mother's Day in Chowchilla, by Sara
Olson
Sara Olson tells the story of the Annual "Get On The Bus"
event, uniting women prisoners with our chidlren and loved ones.
Keywords:
Personal
Narrative,
Children
of Prisoners,
Motherhood.
The Adoption and Safe Families Act of
1997: Its Impact on Prisoner Mothers and their Children, by Gail T.
Smith
Gail Smith outlines the reasons the ASFA of 1997 is
harmful and detrimental to imprisoned women and their children. With
most children of prisoners being in 'temporary' foster care, the ASFA
actually makes these children legal orphans and breaks any ties that
imprisoned mothers and their children once had. Keywords:
Public Policy,
Children of Prisoners,
Motherhood,
Court Advocacy.
The Day My Mother Was Sent Away, by
Wenona Thompson
In this poem, Thompson discusses her feelings
about her mother's incarceration. Keywords:
Poetry,
Personal Narrative,
Children of
Prisoners.
Pregnancy in Prison: A Personal Story,
by Kebby Warner
In this poignant personal narrative, Kebby
Warner shares her experience of pregnancy and childbirth while serving
time. Following her story are several documents she wrote to publicize
the organization The People Against Court Kidnapping (P.A.C.K.), which
she created after her parental rights were terminated and her daughter
was put up for adoption. Keywords:
Motherhood,
Personal
Narrative.
1999 Mother's Day Rally Letters, by
Timberly, LaToya, Michael James Henderson, Christopher, CJ Taylor, and
Lenny
A series of letters, poems, and notes written by the
children of prisoners. Most are directed to their parents. Keywords:
Poetry,
Personal Narrative,
Children of
Prisoners.
