Helping girls maintain healthy relationships with their incarcerated mothers

Abstract

Losing a mother to incarceration has a profound effect in the life of a child. Oftentimes it is difficult for mothers and their children to maintain a relationship, due to emotional and physical limitations. A nationwide program that helps girls connect with their mothers has lasting benefits not only for the girls, but for the incarcerated adults as well. This effective practice highlights some of the ways that programs nurture the tenuous relationship that is the mother and daughter bond in situations of incarceration.

Issue

Many adolescents with incarcerated parents have experienced numerous separations from the incarcerated parent due to previous imprisonments or a chaotic lifestyle, so there may be a whole host of emotional issues surrounding the separation. Prisons are often geographically distant, so without adequate transportation (usually from an adult or other family member) it is difficult for children to see their parents, even if they want to.

Action

The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB) Program serves as a bridge between daughters on the outside, and their mothers who are incarcerated. GSBB is a nationwide program; the following are effective practices from the states of New Jersey, Arizona, Texas and South Carolina.

In New Jersey, the program began with 12 participants, and as of 2003 accommodates 125 girls annually, depending upon the incarceration and release of mothers.

Usually twice a month, girls are transported by bus to the facility in which their mothers reside, and go through tight security and identification checks to reunite with their mothers.
During most meetings, girls and their mothers participate in community service projects, such as making care packages for the homeless, cards for veterans, and candy packs for senior citizens.
Often experts such as athletes, yoga specialists, musicians and inspirational guest speakers are brought into the prison or traditional monthly meetings to teach and inspire girls.
The prison offers participation in Girl Scouts Beyond Bars as a privilege for good behavior, and is quite popular with the inmates.

Arizona

Mothers and daughters meet twice a month, either together or separately.
Since one of the program goals is to develop leadership skills in both girls and mothers, mothers are encouraged to take the lead in conducting the meetings.
The group recites the Girl Scout Promise and Law, and like other Girls Scout troop meetings, girls and their mothers make soap, candles, and jewelry, discuss healthy hygiene and nutrition habits, and participate in Girl Scout badge activities.
Additionally, mothers participate in a two-hour parenting class, and some receive college credit, administered through a local college.
Girls are part of a community troop where they participate in neighborhood activities and council events.
In 2003, 20 volunteers from Arizona State University's Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority adopted GSBB as a community service project, and take turns participating in the community troop meetings.

Texas

The Lone Star Girl Scout Council, The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work, the Crime Prevention Institute and the YMCA all work collaboratively to break the cycle of incarceration.
There are 45 girls, ranging in age from 6 to 17, registered in Troup 1500. When mothers get out of prison, their girls become "alumni" and most still attend select meetings acting as big sisters.
The troop meets three times a month. A licensed therapist from the YWCA conducts group therapy at a meeting held at the School of Social Work the second Wednesday of the month.
The troop is also treated to guest lecturers and themed parties. On one occasion, the girls heard from a self-defense instructor and at another meeting, a local guest artist helped girls make masks.
Once a month the girls make a trip to Gatesville to visit their mothers in prison. The mothers and daughters share a meal and just generally try to catch up. There are also team building exercises, literacy curriculum, decision-making curriculum, communication-building skills work, life skills activities and group therapy.
In addition to the prison visit, the girls take other field trips once a month—sometimes back to the university where they interact with college students.
The program also teaches the girls the importance of staying in school and how to avoid early pregnancy, as well as lessons in substance abuse prevention.
Additionally, the program provides support to guardians (grandmothers and other relatives) who are caring for the daughters.
And it helps prepare and support mothers in making the difficult transition from prison to the outside world by giving the individual $50.00 and a set of street clothes.

In South Carolina, the program is made possible due in part to a grant from the Girl Scouts of the USA, the collaborative efforts of numerous community agencies, along with the support and endorsements from individual donors.

In 2003 there were 21 girls ages 5 to 17 who have incarcerated mothers at the Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution.
The group meets throughout the year the first and third Saturdays of each month.
On the first Saturday the troop convenes for a traditional Girl Scout meeting to take part in community service projects, field trips to cultural and educational facilities, to participate in outdoor recreation, to hold planning meetings, and work on badge requirements.
During the following Saturday meeting, the girls have an opportunity to interact with their mothers and participate in troop activities such as crafts, songs, games, and community service projects.
The Congaree Council (Lexington County) provides all supplies and materials, awards and recognitions, flyers, and paid staff and or volunteer services.
The prison provides the meeting place, a storage facility, distributes information to offenders and prison staff and provides recruitment assistance.
All girls receive membership in both the Girl Scout Council of the Congaree Area, Inc. and Girl Scouts of the USA.

Context

GSBB is a national program that helps more than 500 girls annually to establish and maintain healthy relationships with their incarcerated mothers.
Girl Scouts and the Department of Justice initiated the first and only mother-daughter prison visitation program in 1992 and since that time has helped thousands of girls reestablish parental bonds and gain skills that may reduce criminal relapses, according to Sharon Woods-Hussey, senior vice-president of Girl Scout's USA.
As of 2003, there were thirty programs operating throughout the country. That same year a DOJ grant provided 24 different sites with up to $40,000.00.
Additional funding comes from corporate and private foundations — from companies including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Bissell Foundation, as well as from local junior leagues, businesses, women's groups, and public health organizations.
As of 2004, 1.3 to 1.5 million children in the United States have an incarcerated parent. (Statistic from Dr. Darlene Grant, associate professor of social work and associate dean of graduate studies at The University of Texas at Austin.) According to research conducted by Grant, the number of female prisoners has rapidly increased since 1980. Eighty percent of these women are single parents and two-thirds of women in prison in the United States are women of color.
Studies show that children with incarcerated parents are four to six times more likely than their peers to become incarcerated. They are also more likely to experience anxiety, depression, attention disorders, truancy, and teen pregnancy.

Citation

Adalist-Estrin, Ann. Why Maintain Relationships? Facts and Issues: CPL 102 Family and Corrections Network. Adapted from How Can I Help? published by the Osborne Association, Long Island, New York.

Outcome

GSBB gives girls the opportunity to increase their self-esteem, build character, increase self-confidence, and grow personally in spite of their unique backgrounds.
Girls are not only learning how to build relationships with their mothers, but also learning how their mothers made bad choices and how they can make different choices.
Giving women in prison the chance to spend time with their daughters also helps the mothers. The warden at Gatesville Hilltop Prison (90 miles northeast of Austin, Texas) reports that the behavior of the women involved in the program has improved.
According to the Family and Corrections Network, there are several important reasons for maintaining contact with parents who are incarcerated. Potential benefits to children include:
- Correcting frightening images
- Talking face to face
- Learning you are not alone
- Preparing for release
- Preventing termination of parental rights
- Healing grief and loss

Evidence

Reports show that approximately 75 percent of incarcerated women are mothers with at least two children. In most cases, incarcerated mothers were the primary caregivers for their children prior to incarceration. Many of these mothers will resume their daily parenting duties upon their release and remain part of Girl Scouting with their daughters.

2004 statistics for Troop 1500 (Texas):

96 percent of the 45 girls have not been pregnant before the age of 18
93 percent have not dropped out of school
100 percent have not been arrested

Posted On

September 20, 2005

Resources

Troop 1500 is a 65-minute documentary created by award-winning filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Karen Bernstein, and distributed by Women Make Movies. The film focuses on the Lone Star Girl Scout Council in Texas, which participates in Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, a parent-child visitation program that seeks to preserve mutually affirming relationships between jailed mothers and their daughters. This film premiered at the 2005 South By Southwest Film Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas.

Programs funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service can borrow the film from The Resource Center lending library:
http://nationalserviceresources.org/nsrclibrary/?action=detail&item=V3426

Roots and Wings — A Tool Kit for Launching and Supporting Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB) and Girl Scouting in Detention Centers (GSDC) Programs is designed for Girl Scout Councils and volunteers interested in enhancing council and community work with girls and families affected by the justice system.

*In October 2006, Girl Scouts of the USA released a comprehensive, multimedia resource that supports programming for girls whose mothers are incarcerated or are themselves in detention centers.

Related Practices

Related sites

Family and Corrections Network

Resource Center