S. C. R. No. 8 As Reported by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee

As Reported by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee

130th General Assembly

Regular Session

2013-2014

S. C. R. No. 8

Senator Hite

Cosponsors: Senators Balderson, Beagle, Jones, Lehner, Seitz, Smith, Schaffer, LaRose

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To designate the month of April as Forgotten Victims 1
of Crime recognition month in Ohio. 2

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, Ohio has the seventh largest prison population in 3
the United States, with more than 48,800 men and women 4
incarcerated in Ohio's prison system; and 5

       WHEREAS, Between 1991 and 2007, the number of children who 6
had an incarcerated parent increased by 80%. One out of every 28 7
children has a parent who is incarcerated. Approximately seven in 8
ten women under correctional sanctions have minor children under 9
the age of 18 and approximately five in ten men under correctional 10
sanctions have minor children. On average, for every female 11
prisoner, 2.4 children become invisible, forgotten victims. For 12
every male prisoner, an average of 2.0 children become forgotten 13
victims. Since incarceration rates are higher for males than for 14
females, up to 90% of the children who have an incarcerated parent 15
are socially fatherless; and 16

       WHEREAS, Imprisonment disrupts positive, nurturing 17
relationships, particularly between mothers and their children; 18
and 19

       WHEREAS, Parental incarceration is associated with greater 20
risk that a child will experience material hardship and family 21
instability; and 22

       WHEREAS, Children of incarcerated parents face many problems 23
typical to at-risk youth (lack of positive role models, unstable 24
home life, poverty, poor school performance), including being five 25
to six times more likely than peers to be incarcerated themselves, 26
more likely to abuse substances and engage in antisocial behavior, 27
more likely to drop out of school, run away, and become homeless, 28
more likely to suffer from a negative self image, fear, anxiety, 29
anger, resentment, and sadness, more likely to have high levels of 30
truancy, physical aggression and disruptive behavior, and more 31
likely to be traumatized by separation, stigmatized by shame of 32
having a parent in prison; and 33

       WHEREAS, Intervening in the lives of incarcerated parents and 34
their children to preserve and strengthen positive family 35
connections can yield positive societal benefits in the form of 36
reduced recidivism, reduced crime through less intergenerational 37
criminal justice system involvement and promotion of healthy child 38
development; and 39

       WHEREAS, Several studies have found that maintenance of 40
family ties during incarceration is linked to post-release 41
success, defined as lower rates of recidivism and fewer parole 42
violations; and 43

       WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the citizens of Ohio 44
to encourage strong families, especially among Ohio's incarcerated 45
population whenever possible; now therefore be it 46

       RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly, 47
recognizing the adverse impacts upon children of incarcerated 48
parents, designate the month of April as Forgotten Victims of 49
Crime Recognition Month and encourage all citizens of the state of 50
Ohio, along with all state and local agencies that interact with 51
the families of incarcerated Ohioans, to join with the General 52
Assembly in acknowledgement and support of the families and 53
children of incarcerated Ohioans; and be it further 54

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 55
authenticated copies of this resolution to the news media of Ohio. 56

WHEREAS, Ohio has the seventh largest prison population in	3
the United States, with more than 48,800 men and women	4
incarcerated in Ohio's prison system; and	5

WHEREAS, Between 1991 and 2007, the number of children who	6
had an incarcerated parent increased by 80%. One out of every 28	7
children has a parent who is incarcerated. Approximately seven in	8
ten women under correctional sanctions have minor children under	9
the age of 18 and approximately five in ten men under correctional	10
sanctions have minor children. On average, for every female	11
prisoner, 2.4 children become invisible, forgotten victims. For	12
every male prisoner, an average of 2.0 children become forgotten	13
victims. Since incarceration rates are higher for males than for	14
females, up to 90% of the children who have an incarcerated parent	15
are socially fatherless; and	16

WHEREAS, Imprisonment disrupts positive, nurturing	17
relationships, particularly between mothers and their children;	18
and	19

WHEREAS, Parental incarceration is associated with greater	20
risk that a child will experience material hardship and family	21
instability; and	22

WHEREAS, Children of incarcerated parents face many problems	23
typical to at-risk youth (lack of positive role models, unstable	24
home life, poverty, poor school performance), including being five	25
to six times more likely than peers to be incarcerated themselves,	26
more likely to abuse substances and engage in antisocial behavior,	27
more likely to drop out of school, run away, and become homeless,	28
more likely to suffer from a negative self image, fear, anxiety,	29
anger, resentment, and sadness, more likely to have high levels of	30
truancy, physical aggression and disruptive behavior, and more	31
likely to be traumatized by separation, stigmatized by shame of	32
having a parent in prison; and	33

WHEREAS, Intervening in the lives of incarcerated parents and	34
their children to preserve and strengthen positive family	35
connections can yield positive societal benefits in the form of	36
reduced recidivism, reduced crime through less intergenerational	37
criminal justice system involvement and promotion of healthy child	38
development; and	39

WHEREAS, Several studies have found that maintenance of	40
family ties during incarceration is linked to post-release	41
success, defined as lower rates of recidivism and fewer parole	42
violations; and	43

WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the citizens of Ohio	44
to encourage strong families, especially among Ohio's incarcerated	45
population whenever possible; now therefore be it	46

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly,	47
recognizing the adverse impacts upon children of incarcerated	48
parents, designate the month of April as Forgotten Victims of	49
Crime Recognition Month and encourage all citizens of the state of	50
Ohio, along with all state and local agencies that interact with	51
the families of incarcerated Ohioans, to join with the General	52
Assembly in acknowledgement and support of the families and	53
children of incarcerated Ohioans; and be it further	54

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly	55
authenticated copies of this resolution to the news media of Ohio.	56