February
9, 2005
PROGRAM
STRESSES FAMILY TIES TO HELP REDUCE RECIDIVISM
Ossining—Despite the stone walls and bars that
separate them from their children, about 20 fathers incarcerated
at Sing Sing Correctional Facility will successfully graduate
from an intensive 16 week in prison program designed to
enhance their parenting skills and in turn, help them
become better fathers from inside prison, and eventually
upon their return home. The graduation ceremony will be
held Thursday, February 23rd at 12 p.m. In addition to
the fathers and their families, senior corrections officials
will join the leadership of Osborne for the ceremony.
The program, FamilyWorks—the first comprehensive
parenting program in a men’s state prison—was
created by the Osborne Association in 1986 to help
reduce
children’s trauma of having an incarcerated
parent, while helping incarcerated parents develop critical
skills to maintain their parenting roles in prison.
“Behind the prison bars are men who long to reconnect
with children confused and traumatized by their absence,
children who grieve for their absent father,” said
Elizabeth Gaynes, Executive
Director of Osborne. “The fact is, nearly all of
these men will eventually leave prison, sometimes after
many years away. Without this program, many would enter
extremely challenging and unstable family environments.
FamilyWorks strengthens parenting skills and prepares
imprisoned fathers for what to expect, and helps the entire
family prepare for the parent’s return home.”
Osborne officials point out that, according to research,
men with positive family ties have a much better chance
of avoiding a return to prison than those who are released
to unstable family and social conditions. Further they
note, children with imprisoned parents are more likely
to exhibit poor academic performance, have a greater risk
of dropping out of school and are more likely to engage
in anti-social and delinquent behavior. With more than
2 million parents in prison, it is estimated that more
than 10 million children must cope with the devastating
effects of incarceration.
The Osborne Association created FamilyWorks in 1986 to
offer inmates an intensive 16 week parenting course that
enables them to reclaim their role and capacity as parents.
In most cases, prisoners must come to terms with painful
realities regarding the parenting they received growing
up and how it informs the parenting they now provide.
The Sing Sing program offers supplemental courses in
life skills in order to help incarcerated parents confront
their personal histories and improve their patterns of
relating to their children. FamilyWorks was developed
and implemented in cooperation with the State Department
of Corrections.
More than 250 incarcerated parents in New York State
will graduate from Osborne’s parenting education
program in Sing Sing, Auburn, Shawangunk and Albion correctional
facilities. Osborne’s successful collaboration with
the New York State Department of Corrections has come
to the attention of other states eager to replicate and
implement Osborne’s pioneering parenting curricula
for incarcerated men and women.
Founded in 1931, the Osborne Association offers opportunities
for individuals who have been in conflict with the law
to transform their lives through innovative, effective,
and replicable programs that serve the community by reducing
crime and its human and economic costs.
Press Note: Members of the press wishing to attend in
prison events at state facilities must be cleared for
entrance by the State Department of Corrections public
affairs officers at least five business days prior to
the event.
- Matt Losak
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