Kept in the Dark: Exploring Children’s Preparation for Parental Incarceration and Reentry

Background: Parental incarceration is a challenging and pivotal experience for families. Efforts to prepare children can hinder or promote children’s abilities to adapt. Objective: This study addresses the research question: How informed and prepared are children for parental incarceration, family reentry, and re-incarceration? Methods: Fourteen young adults shared their experiences related to childhood parental incarceration and family reentry through individual interviews. Findings: Regardlessof the parent’s stage of criminal justice involvement – arrest,incarceration, reentry, or re-incarceration, participants reported receiving very little information about what was taking place, why, or what they could expect. Conclusions: Small efforts to prepare and inform children were perceived to be helpfulas children. Resources and brief interventions that mitigate this experience of being kept in the dark are described.