Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents

Date

2014

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

International Association of Chiefs of Police

Abstract

The IACP project announced by the Deputy Attorney General is part of an overarching White House Domestic Policy Council justice initiative focused on reducing trauma experienced by children who have parents in prison or jail. This is a broad-based undertaking given the myriad of situations in which parental arrest, incarceration, or both can have a negative impact on a child’s physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being. Parental incarceration is now recognized as among the “adverse childhood experiences” that increase a child’s risk of negative outcomes in adulthood, including alcoholism; depression; illegal drug use; domestic violence and other criminal behavior; health-related problems; and suicide, among others.1 Minimizing the trauma experienced by children at the time of their parent’s arrest has the potential to lessen this risk, improving outcomes in the short and long-run.

Description

Keywords

safety, arrest, policy, pre-arrest planning, child placement

Citation

International Association of Chiefs of Police (2014). Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents. Alexandria, VA: Author.

DOI