The Power of Reading: Reconnecting Incarcerated Mothers and Children Through Books
By April Terry
April Terry is assistant professor of criminal justice at Fort Hays State University.
The United States relies heavily upon correctional facilities when "correcting" and "protecting" young women. Many incarcerated women were sole providers for their children prior to their incarceration, and sadly, many children experience "doing time" alongside their mothers.
Yet, incarcerated mothers struggle with their "bad mom" labels and inability to effectively parent and remain engaged with their children while behind bars--many locked away for non-violent offenses.
Around 70% of the U.S. incarcerated population is said to be functionally illiterate while 68% of children do not meet literacy proficiency standards with most coming from low-income or at-risk homes. These statistics suggest we must do more to help bridge relationships with incarcerated moms and their children while also targeting literacy--long-term implications could mean reductions in the school-to-prison pipeline, further breaking the cycle of intergenerational system involvement.
As an assistant professor of criminal justice, I recently partnered with a teacher education colleague; we were two women with one vision.
We created a read aloud program for mothers and grandmothers at our state's only women's correctional facility. Our project provided the women with read aloud tutoring sessions to increase their confidence and ability to read while providing an outlet to connect with their children and grandchildren.
The women were then supplied with a recordable book that they held and recorded themselves. Their children and grandchildren were then able to touch the same book and hear their mother or grandmother's voice.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in reduced visitation with loved ones, no physical contact with their children, and further inability to effectively parent, from a virtual distance.
We encourage others to consider what they can contribute--it could result in not only connecting mothers and grandmothers with their children and grandchildren, but also in breaking a cycle of familial incarceration.
““We created a read aloud program for mothers and grandmothers at our state’s only women’s correctional facility. This provided the women an outlet to connect with their children and grandchildren.” — April Terry #PowerToChangeStories ”
April Terry is assistant professor of criminal justice at Fort Hays State University. https://www.fhsu.edu/criminaljustice/faculty-and-staff/april-terry/index