Better Together: The Power of Mothers and Families to Improve Reentry Outcomes

Past Event

September 17, 2024, 2:00pm - 3:30pm, Eastern

Hosted by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the U.S Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance

Approximately 58 percent of women in state or federal prisons report having minor children. This figure jumps to 80 percent for women in jails—including those remaining in custody awaiting trial often due to an inability to afford bail. Due to women’s distinct pathways to crime, they are often incarcerated for offenses related to drug and property crimes, usually stemming from experiencing poverty, abuse or trauma, mental illnesses, and/or substance use disorders. Most women who are incarcerated were the primary caregiver of their children, so incarceration removes them as a vital source of emotional and financial support.

This interactive webinar, featuring representatives from the Center for Children and Family Futures, will provide attendees with an overview of data and research about mothers who experience incarceration and the effects of incarceration on children and family members. Presenters will share policy and practice strategies to meet the needs of children, parents, and family members and to overcome barriers to family engagement in reentry processes. Attendees will also learn about gender-responsive evidence-based programming and family therapy modalities that address women’s substance use and/or mental health needs during reentry and support family healing and well-being.

Learning Objectives

Examine data and research about mothers who experience incarceration and its effects on their children and families.
Describe common barriers to reentry, including challenges involving families in the reentry process.
Explain key strategies to actively integrate family members’ input and perspective, stabilize families, and set the stage for engagement in the reentry process including evidence-based programming and family therapy modalities to support parent-child relationships for mothers.

Speakers