VOA: When Parents are Locked Up, Community Must Reach Out

Mary Holdcroft sees the effects of children living without a parent because they are in jail every day.

Her daughter was sentenced to six years for forgery and she has taken care of her three grandchildren since.

"My oldest is 15 and he has been suspended from school in the last five years probably about 20 times," she said.  "He is very angry because no one wants to give him the time of day.  He's picked on at school.  His heart is broken."

She says efforts such as Volunteers of America’s Look Up and Hope program help her grandchildren reconnect with their mother.

"They have done so much for us, financially, therapeutically," she said.  "When Nicole (her daughter) was at the VOA, (the grandkids) got to spend extra time with her instead of being in prison and behind the wall. They got to go and spend the night with her at times."

Look Up and Hope aims to strengthen family connections through support services that help overcome issues such as poverty that often follow incarceration.

Holdcroft’s daughter has been free for nearly 70 days and is beginning to reconnect with her children.

Volunteers of America President William Raihl says if the community doesn’t reach out to children whose parents are in the penal system, it will lead to a new generation of prisoners.

"No one really likes to talk about incarcerated people because generally society says they are in jail for a reason, so why should we care?," said Raihl.  "There are a lot of reasons to care.  One is because of children.  If we don't care, the children will grow to become problems in the society, as well.  So, the problem is only exacerbated down the road.  So, this is really an opportunity to say 'enough is enough.'"

There are nearly 14,000 Indiana children with a parent behind bars and each year about 500 new kids face parental incarceration.

Raihl says that type of situation can distract young people from school and pursuing their goals.  So, he believes reaching out to them is an important piece in shaping a better future for local communities.

"If we can increase graduation rates it means we can increase college rates which means we can increase the job placement which will entice industries to locate here, because they recognize that there is a great educational system, that we are producing graduates who have something to offer," he said.  "That's what really lures businesses to a community and that helps a community to grow in so many different ways. So, everyone shares in that benefit."

photo courtesy Volunteers of America via Facebook