Abstract
The incarceration of women and the impact on children, families, caregivers, and the prisoner in terms of motherhood and parenting has become an increasingly prominent area of interest within the criminal justice system. The number of women in state and federal prisons has dramatically increased; however, gender-responsive policies and practices that address incarcerated women’s needs and circumstances have been limited. These findings give rise to concern regarding the number of women in jail or prison who are mothers of minor children. This paper investigates the differences between inmate mothers’ and fathers’ reported incarceration rates and examines the associations between early mother-child separation behaviors and children’s outcomes. The impact of COVID-19 will also be included to address the ongoing harms to the lives of female prisoners. Based on these findings and other studies, prisons and jails need to develop a comprehensive strategy to fully address the needs of incarcerated mothers and reduce the harmful impact of incarceration on their children.