Children of Incarcerated Oklahoma Parents Task Force Releases Final Report

A state of Oklahoma task force has released 7 recommendations concerning the thousands of children of one or more parents in the state's prison system.

The Children of Incarcerated Parents Task Force stemmed from a bill authored by state Representative Jeannie McDaniel of Tulsa.

In the report, the task force says around 26,000 children across the state are impacted by having a parent in the prison system.

The recommendations include…

1. Support activities to maintain contact between incarcerated parent and a minor child when it is in the best interest of the child.
2. Eliminate any barriers preventing children of incarcerated parents from accessing quality health care.
3. Develop a statewide training curriculum which serves to educate participants on the sweeping adverse effect that parental involvement in the criminal justice system has on children.
4. Provide parent education programs (including child development) to parents to help support a healthy and strong parent-child relationship.
5. Provide information to incarcerated non-custodial parents on how to responsibly address financial obligations to their children while incarcerated.
6. Expand the use of community-based sentencing options utilizing evidence-based intervention programs and services targeted to reduce criminal risk factors.
7. Designate the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth as the official state agency responsible for increasing public awareness, coordinating research, creating a resource clearinghouse which identifies available services to children of incarcerated parents, and coordinating ad advisory committee. This work should continue collaboratively with agencies, community and faith-based providers to better meet the needs and improve the quality of life for children of incarcerated parents.

Read the Children of Incarcerated Parents Task Force final report.