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Reversing the Cycle of Incarceration. Encouraging the Children of Incarcerated Parents to pursue a Collegiate Education. Picture from http://www.usprisonculture.com/. What Are the Facts? Why Should we Be Concerned?.
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Reversing the Cycle of Incarceration Encouraging the Children of Incarcerated Parents to pursue a Collegiate Education
Pie graph found on Boys & Girl’s Club of Western Nevada website: http://mentor.wnc.edu/mcp.php Parent in prison by race graph from the Bureau of Justice via Chris Uggen
In D.C., 50% of high school students graduate, but only 15% of those students attend college – U.S. Department of Education • More than one in every 100 adults in America are in jail or prison — The Pew Charitable Trusts • Between 1995 and 2005, the number of incarcerated women in the U.S. increased by 57% prisoners in 2005. – U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics • Sixty-three percent of federal prisoners and 55 percent of state prisoners are parents of children under age 18. – U.S. Department of Justice • The average stay in a foster care for a child with an incarcerated parent is 3.9 years. – U.S. Department of Education • Approximately forty-six percent of jail inmates in 2002 had a previously incarcerated family member. – http://thefatherlessgeneration.wordpress.com/statistics/ General Statistics
Over 130,000 juveniles are detained in the US each year with 70,000 in detention on any given • Day -- Juvenile Incarceration, Human Capital and Future Crime, Anna Aizer & Joseph Doyle, Jr. (June 5, 2013) • There is a disparate impact on families of color, with African American children nine times more likely and Hispanic children three times more likely than white children to have a parent in prison -- U.S. Department of Justice • Parental incarceration creates additional challenges for children and families often resulting in financial instability and material hardship, with financial problems the most severe for already vulnerable families and caregivers who support contact between the incarcerated parent and his or her child. -- Parental Incarceration in Fragile Families: Summary of Three Year Findings General Statistics Cont.
Georgia Statistics • The Georgia Department of Education 2012 data that shows that the Atlanta Public School Graduation rate has dropped to 50.87%, down from 51.96 in 2011. • It has become increasingly harder to qualify for Georgia’s lottery funded, merit-based college financial aid program. Originally, any high school graduate with a B average would receive a HOPE scholarship to cover college costs. Dec. 13, 2013 http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2013-12-30/ga-high-school-graduation-gets-more-complicated • Now to earn HOPE “students have to earn a 3.0 average in their core academic courses — including English, math and science.” Every 8th grader must complete a high school plan and high schoolers must take one of the following: Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual enrollment college courses. Dec. 13, 2013 http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2013-12-30/ga-high-school-graduation-gets-more-complicated
Georgia Statistics Cont. • The number of youth in Georgia’s juveniles justice system has decreased in recent years. Between 2002 and 2011, the out-of-home adjudicated population dropped from 2,973 to 1,917. Though the number of youth declined in the system, cost remained high for Georgia tax-payers. – The Pew Charitable Trusts Georgia’s 2013 Juvenile Justice Reform • You can read more about this reform program here: http://www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/PCS/Content-Level_Pages/Reports/Georgia%202013%20Juvenile%20Justice%20Reform%20Summary%20Brief_July2013.pdf
If we don’t work to reverse this cycle, our young people will be in danger of: • Reduced chances of high school completion and college completion • Increased likelihood of adult incarceration and recidivism • Increased risk of growing up in poverty or slightly above the poverty line • Being an ex-offender provides many more legal challenges beyond release
What We Do • Provide mentorship and college scholarships to high school graduating seniors with a parent in prison who are pursuing a college education (this includes vocational and trade schools) • Board members and volunteers serve as personal mentors and career advisors to scholars • High school seniors apply for the scholarship between November to Feb/March. Followed by application review and phone interviews. Scholarship ceremony in June • Scholarships are renewable as long as scholars maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA • Grand scholarship = $2,500. Book award $250 • 2012 we awarded 8 scholars. In 2013 we renewed those scholarships and awarded 6 new scholars.
Potential of this Organization • Though still fairly new, this organization’s model has the potential to financially assist and mentor thousands of college students. • We have the potential to be located and offer scholarships and mentoring in every state. • When young people feel supported emotionally, financially and professionally they are more likely to succeed and graduate college and less likely to recede into the prison system or poverty.
How You Can Help • Make Connections—If you know a person/s or an organization that would be interested in assisting/partnering with us based on the work that we do, please share our information (scholarchipsfund@gmail.com). • Volunteer—You can volunteer to be a mentor or to host a fundraiser; write about us on your blog, in your magazine; invite us to your event, etc. Brainstorm how you can bring ScholarCHIPS to your city/state. • Donate—If you cannot make connections or volunteer, or even if you can, please consider donating. $250 equals one book award.
For more information please visit: www.scholarchipsfund.com and check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
