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Children Residing in Prison With Their Parents: An Example of Institutional Invisibility

NCJ Number
232826
Journal
The Prison Journal Volume: 90 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 516-533
Author(s)
Tarja Poso; Rosi Enroos; Tarja Vierula
Date Published
December 2010
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article presents the results of a study on the position of a child in prison, residing with their parent, providing answers to the question whether residence in a prison can be in the child's best interest.
Abstract
This article presents the results of a study carried out in Finland on the position of children who accompany their parent to prison. The study consists of document analyses and staff and inmate interviews in the two Finnish prisons with special units for children. The results highlight the lack of information on children residing in prisons as well as the lack of guidelines for practice illustrated by the term "institutional invisibility." The term "institutional invisibility" informs about the vagueness of the prison practices in relation to children and their parents. (Published Abstract) Note and references