Children

JS Blog Post December 2, 2015

Incarceration Generation: Families Left Behind

Lisa Ling

In “Incarceration Generation: Families Left Behind “, brought to viewers by Lisa Ling’s Our America  and sponsored by OWN, we get an up close and personal picture of the impact on families of incarcerating Black fathers in America.

JS Blog Post November 2, 2015

Sentencing Parents, Sentencing Children: Trick or Treat Halloween Without Mom or Dad

Patricia Allard

“Trick or treat” are the cherished words I like to hear every year at Halloween when I open my door. Batman, Cinderella and the witch are yearly visitors, and I am always prepared with my small but tasty, chocolate treats. Many older children come knocking for their Halloween treats while their mom or dad, in some cases both parents – mom and dad, dad and dad or mom and mom – patiently wait by the curb with a watchful eye. This year a little one came to my door in her daddy’s arms, experiencing this Western tradition for the first time.  Dad urged her to utter those cherished words. The sweet girl in her cat costume shyly said in a practically indiscernible voice, “Trick or Treat”.  Her dad proudly flashed a beaming smile while the little girl lite up as I deposited M&M chocolates in her orange, plastic pumpkin container.  Watching them leave my porch, I was struck by the thought that this Halloween over 2.7 million American children were not being accompanied by their mother or father due to the cruel separation that is enforced by parental incarceration. Read more »

JS Blog Post September 30, 2015

Family Sentencing Alternatives: Oregon's New Pilot Program

Patricia Allard

Oregon is the latest state to consider the possibility of diverting parents of minor children away from prison to enable them to serve their sentence in the community under supervision. On August 12, 2015, the Oregon Governor signed into law Chapter 830 of the Oregon Revised Statutes, which gave life to the Family Sentencing Alternative Pilot Program (FSAPP).  The FSAPP has particular eligibility criteria, including that

 

  1. The person is likely to be sentenced to a prison term in the legal and physical custody of the Department of Corrections for at least one year;

 

  1. The person “has not previously been convicted of and is not currently being sentenced for:”

 

  1. A sex crime;
  2. Certain felony offenses (i.e. violent offenses) requiring a determinate sentence or a mandatory sentence; offences involving unlawful delivery of  controlled substances, including specifically to minors; or offenses involving driving while under the influence of intoxicants; and

  Read more »

JS Blog Post September 11, 2015

Equal Protection for Incarcerated Fathers Ordered in California

Nestor Rios

In an important victory for incarcerated fathers in California, Judge Morrison C. England, of the US District Court, ruled on Sep. 9th that “California’s decision to open an alternative custody program to female inmates only and to permit them to apply for release up to two years prior to their earliest possible release date violates the Equal Protection Clause of Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.” Judge England also ordered the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to into immediately cease denying admission the ACP program on the basis that an applicant is male. Read more »

JS Blog Post August 25, 2015

A letter to the judge who sentenced her father

Maria Lloyd

Maria Lloyd , 23-year old adult child of an incarcerated father, sends a poignant letter to the judge who sentenced her father to five life sentences for drug trafficking. The letter says it all.

JS Blog Post August 14, 2015

Effects of Parental Incarceration

Patricia Allard

The Brian Lehrer Show explores how families cope with parental incarceration. The show follows up on the Lawrence Bartley story that was covered on Anna Sale’s “Death, Sex and Money” (see blog post of February 19, 2015 for the full story).  Lawrence Bartley has been incarcerated for more than 20 years for a crime he committed as a 17-year-old. Now in this Brian Lehrer Show, “How One Family Copes with Incarceration," Mr. Lehrer interviews Anna Sale and Ronnie Bartley to find out more about how Mr. Bartley’s incarceration has affected his children and wife, Ronnie. Several other children who have been affected by their parent’s incarceration call in and share their experiences.Click on the link above and listen to the interview.

 

 

JS Update July 28, 2015

Immigrant Children Ordered Released

In a rebuke of the federal government's position that a prior consent decree (the Agreement) prohibiting the incarceration of unaccompanied minors in unsafe or secured facilities (detention centers) did not apply to accompanied minors crossing the US Mexico border with their parents, in last summer's refugee crisis, Federal District Court Judge Dolly M. Gee ordered the government to show cause, within ninety (90) days, why the remedies she concludes are needed to protect the well being of incarcerated accompanied minors (class members) held by ICE and the US Border Patrol, should not be imposed.  In Jenny L. Flores, et al. v. Jeh Johnson, et al. decided July 24, 2015, Judge Gee grants the plaintiffs motion to enforce the Agreement as to class members and denies the government's motion to amend the Agreement.  In her order, Judge Gee would further require the defendant federal government to comply with the following remedies:
1. Make and record prompt and continuous efforts toward family reunification and the release of minors under the Agreement.
2. Comply with the Agreement by releasing class members without unnecessary delay in first order of preference to a parent, including a parent who either was apprehended with the child minor or presented herself or himself with a class member.

Read more »
JS Blog Post July 23, 2015

Let Our Families Have a Future: A Mother's Story #3

Theresa Martinez

In her third video blog post, Theresa Martinez discusses how sterilization not only violates women's reproductive rights, but she also discusses how it undermines the right to family. Take a look at this latest video blog post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U4BJU585n0 

 

 

 

JS Blog Post July 16, 2015

Let Our Families Have a Future: A mother's story #2

Theresa Martinez

In this video, Theresa discusses the impact that familial seperartion has had on her daughter's well-being. Theresa's incarceration resulted in years of seperation from her daughter who was forced to live a challenging existence in the foster care system. Theresa also discusses how children of color in foster care - who miss their parents so much - are over-medicated in an effort to make them more manageable. Please view Theresa's second blog post

 

 

 

JS Blog Post June 30, 2015

Let Our Families Have a Future: A mother's story #1

Theresa Martinez
In this, the first of a four part video series, Theresa Martinez of Justice Now relates the story of her twenty-three years of incarceration in both youth and adult facilities, and her separation from her daughter. Listen in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPehSdIt9Tw
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