NCJ Number
67948
Date Published
1980
Length
46 pages
Annotation
THE PLEASANTON CHILDREN'S CENTER, WITHIN THE FEDERAL PRISON FOR WOMEN AT PLAEASANTON, CALIF., IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE BONDS BETWEEN IMPRISONED MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
Abstract
CREATED AS A CHILD-ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT, THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE MOTHERCHILD RELATIONSHIP BY PROVIDING A RELAXED PLAY SETTING, PROVIDING TRAINING IN PARENTING AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, AND FACILITATING THE SOCIAL SERVICES THEY NEED. THE PROGRAM RELIES ON BOTH INMATE AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. DURING 1979, 1,064 CHILDREN VISITED THE CENTER DURING WEEKENDS, FOR AN AVERAGE OF OVER 20 CHILDREN PER WEEKEND. INMATE INVOLVEMENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF PLANNING AND SERVICE DELIVERY INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. RECENTLY, INMATES COORDINATED A CONFERENCE WITH THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND ASSISTED IN THE PRODUCTION OF TWO VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT THE PROJECT. THE CENTER PLANS TO BEGIN A PROGRAM TO CREDENTIAL WOMEN AS TEACHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN AS PART OF THE PRISON'S VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR INMATES. EVALUATION FINDINGS ARE BASED ON SURVEYS ADMINISTERED TO THE ENTIRE INMATE POPULATION AND TO THOSE PRISON STAFF WHO HAVE MAJOR CONTACT WITH INMATES, AND UPON INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED WITH INMATES, PRISON STAFF, AND GUARDIANS. OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS WERE EMPHASIZED FOR BOTH EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS. THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY HAS VERY STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE WARDEN AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS. ASSESSMENTS INDICATED THROUGH SURVEY INSTRUMENTS WERE GENERALLY POSITIVE. THE INCREASING IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM IS EVIDENCED BY CONTINUED FUNDING AND SUPPORT FROM THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND BY THE CENTER'S REQUESTED ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING SIMILAR PROGRMS AT TWO LOCAL JAILS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND ALAMEDA COUNTIES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).