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An expert in family issues, criminology/penology, and juvenile delinquency, as well as qualitative and quantitative research methods and public policy, Anne Nurse joined the Wooster faculty in 1999 and is now an assistant professor of sociology and anthropology. Nurse's education began at the University of California-Berkeley, where she earned her bachelor's degree. From there, she enrolled at the University of California-Davis, where she received her master's degree and her Ph.D. Nurse's publications include "The Structure of Juvenile Prison: Constructing the Inmate Father" in Youth and Society and "Coming Home: The Transition from Incarcerated to Paroled Young Father" in Families, Crime, and Criminal Justice. She is also completing work on a forthcoming book, Fatherhood Arrested, which addresses incarcerated and paroled juvenile fathers. Other projects include an evaluation of Wayne County's juvenile diversion program and an examination of social support systems among juvenile inmates and parolees. In addition, Nurse has received grants for her research from the National Science Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the United States Department of Justice. |
Today an alarming number of juvenile fathers spend time in prison. In her forthcoming book, Fatherhood Arrested, Anne Nurse, assistant professor of sociology at The College of Wooster, examines this trend, the reasons behind it, the effects of incarceration on young men, and the impact of this incarceration on the families. Nurse places special emphasis on the post-release period. How many incarcerated young men are fathers? While we do not have an exact number, we do know that the percentage is high. In California, for example, the juvenile prison system has data that identify more than 25 percent of its inmates as fathers. In Ohio the statistics are similar; a study conducted by the Department of Youth Services estimates that over 22 percent of inmates are fathers. To give a sense of what these percentages mean, the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has data showing that well over 100,000 juveniles are incarcerated on any given day. These figures mean that an extremely large number of teen fathers spend part of their children's lives behind bars. Why are so many juvenile fathers in prison? There are three primary reasons. First, research suggests that fathers are more likely than other young men to engage in delinquent behaviors and to go to prison. Becoming a young father appears to be part of a package of problem behaviors including alcohol and drug abuse, school disruption, and aggressive behavior. Second, both incarceration and young fatherhood tend to be concentrated in high poverty areas. This means that the young men most at risk for incarceration are those who are also at high risk for becoming young fathers. Finally, incarceration rates for young men have risen more than 50 percent during the past two decades. As this prison population grows, so does the number of fathers who are inmates. What is the impact of incarceration on a juvenile father? Incarceration tends to weaken, or further weaken, father-child relationships. There are many contributing factors. Inmates may be placed in prisons hundreds of miles from their families, making visits difficult or impossible. Phone calls, an important link with children, are restricted in number and must be collect, at rates determined by the state. Often poor families cannot afford to pay these rates. Life in prison also changes men psychologically and socially. To survive behind bars, inmates must show little emotion, respond with violence when threatened, and distrust others. Such traits are hard to abandon upon release, and may serve to inhibit the building of healthy relationships with children. What are the prospects for rehabilitation in prison? State and county rehabilitation programs in juvenile prisons vary widely across the country. In general, however, there are few such programs, including educational, available to inmates. As a result, young men are unable to address the issues that led them to prison in the first place: drug addiction, lack of employment, low education, and anger. Too many men are released from prison and simply turn back to crime because they are not given tools to change their lives. At the same time, there are encouraging exceptions. A number of prisons in Ohio, and several other states, provide innovative and effective rehabilitation services for juvenile delinquents. These programs are expensive, however, and are often the first to be cut in hard budget times. Their elimination saves money in the short term but, over time, costs more in increased crime rates. What happens when these young fathers make the transition out of prison? While in prison, young fathers have a great deal of time to daydream about how they will behave after they are released. Many promise themselves that they will be actively involved with their children. When they return home, however, they face a number of unexpected challenges. Most have had little contact with their children and have no idea how to interact with them. Some discover that their children are fearful of them and resent their attempts at involvement. In addition, their child's mother may have a new boyfriend who has taken over as a father figure. This is deeply disappointing for men who come home committed to fulfilling fatherhood responsibilities. Finally, men with prison records have a great deal of difficulty finding employment - especially employment that pays enough to allow them to contribute to the support of their children in any significant way. How does this problem affect society in general? The high number of young imprisoned fathers has a significant impact on the men, their families, their communities, and the society at large. High levels of father incarceration result in a lack of male role models for children, economic strain for young mothers, and the estrangement of men from their own children. While incarceration is intended to punish the offender, the wives, girlfriends, and children of the inmate also suffer severe psychological and social damage. Can anything be done to reverse this disturbing trend? In the last 10 years, we have drastically increased penalties for juvenile criminal offenses - particularly for those involving drugs. This is problematic on many levels: prison is expensive; it does little to rehabilitate people; and it harms families and communities. A number of changes could improve the situation. Sentencing guidelines need to be developed that more appropriately respond to the offense and the individual offender. We need more adequate education and rehabilitation services for inmates. All manner of support for father-child relationships must be provided: easier and more pleasant visitation, increased opportunities for phone calls, and classes teaching parenting skills. Research suggests that strong bonds between imprisoned fathers and their children are good for the children, and are linked to lower rates of recidivism for the fathers. |
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| Last updated: January 10, 2006 · For more information, contact John Finn | ||
