Children of Incarcerated Parents and Imprisoned Youth

For children of incarcerated parents, a trip to visit their mother or father in prison can be cold, formidable and traumatic. One of the greatest concerns regarding parental incarceration is the issue of parent-child attachment; without it the child has no basis with which to interpret how to engage and interact with others. (Johnson & Waldfogel, “Children of Incarcerated Parents: Cumulative Risk and Children’s Living Arrangement,” July 2002) K.I.D.S. provides books to children of incarcerated parents throughout New York State to initiate parent/child reading during visitations while encouraging literacy and a bonding experience, a process necessary for appropriate development.

K.I.D.S. also reaches out to young offenders who pass through the juvenile justice system. A longstanding K.I.D.S. program with the Horizon Academy at Riker’s Island provides both books and apparel so that inmates can regain a sense of purpose and self-confidence. According to Gloria Ortiz, executive director at the Horizon Academy at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility in New York City, “Without K.I.D.S., we would not be able to turn our young men from prisoners into potentially responsible citizens and parents. We would not be able to properly clothe them for court appearances and job interviews. We would not be able to provide books for our inmates so that they can envision a brighter future for themselves."