1. Participants' gender distribution [top]
 
Given the considerable difficulties in ascertaining the acquired sample it followed that the researchers had really little control on what that sample could be. In this case, the gender of the children and the adolescents are practically identical to each other, though not in themselves. Males are slightly less represented than females.
2. Participants' age distribution [top]
A more equitable situation would have been liked to be secured between the -12 and the 12+ year old participants, but this was not easy. Prisoners' children tend to be very young because most prisoners are very young themselves.
3. The incarcerated parent [top]
There were many more 'fathers' than 'mothers' in prison. This is not surprising since, to begin with, the number of male prisoners to that of females is almost 6:1. However, the researchers made it a point to have participants from both the male and female divisions.
4. Duration of incarceration as up to the time of the research [top]
This graph has to be seen together with the following one. This one here shows the number of years in prison that have been done, whereas the following one shows the number of years that still have to be done in prison. Most prisoners involved in this research had been incarcerated for less than 1 year, some for 3 to 5 years and some fro more than 10 years.
5. Length of sentence still to be served, in years, by incarcerated parents [top]
Almost half of the prisoners involved in this research were still under arrest or on remand, and so they still did not know the number of years they had to spend in prison. The other half varied between 1 to 3 years incarceration to 5 to 10 years.
6. Children's knowledge of their parent's incarceration [top]
More than half the children involved in this research did know that their missing parent is incarcerated. The rest did not know. Of course, this had to be taken into consideration when the interviews were made with the children. Children left in the dark were interviewed without divulging to them withheld information. The interviews were conducted according to the current information that the children were given.
7. Participants' family situation before commencement of the incarceration [top]
In order to gauge the effects of incarceration on prisoners' children it seems necessary to discover the situation of each particular family before incarceration had began. This is what this graph shows us in relation to the participants of this research. A little bit more than half of the families had a stable to very stable situation; a little bit less than half had an unstable to a very unstable situation.
8. Changes within the children/adolescents after commencement of their parent's incarceration [top]
Had changes been observed in the participant children after incarceration of one of their parents? In the large majority yes; in a few no. Furthermore, more change was observed in adolescents than in young children.
9. Possible effects resulting from the participants' parents' incarceration [top]
These are some of the changes observed in the children of prisoners due to one of their parents' incarceration. The green shade indicates the positive changes or the changes for the better; while the red shade indicates the negative changes or changes for the worse. More negative changes (80%) can be observed than positive changes (20%).
10. Effects according to children and adolescents separately [top]
Yellow = Children; Green = Adolescents
It seems that a adolescents are more liable to change for the better than young children, though only slightly (see next graph). Most negative traits would be observable in both categories, though not necessarily.
11. Comparison of overall effects upon child and adolescent participants [top]
[comment pending]
12. Schools of participants [top]
[comment pending]
13. Participants' academic achievement after their parents' incarceration [top]
[comment pending]
14. Children's classmates' knowledge of their parents' incarceration [top]
33% stated that their classmates knew that one of their parents was incarcerated.
67% stated that they did not know.
[comment pending]
15. Adolescents' classmates' knowledge of their parents' incarceration [top]
87.5% stated that their friends did know.
Yet 50% of these stated that only one or very few classmates knew of the incarceration.
12.5% chose to abstain from responding to this query.
[comment pending]
16. Participants' perception of the incarcerated parent [top]
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Many children expressed a great love for their incarcerated parent.
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In the case of adolescents, these tended to mention a number of negative qualities their incarcerated parent had. However many seemed to excuse him/her, blaming these characteristics upon bad influences and upbringing. All of them seem to love their parent. Many mentioned several positive points at times, some even stating that they are proud of them.
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[comment pending]
17. Participants' perception as to why their parent is incarcerated [top]
62.5% of all adolescent participants stated that their incarcerated parent was so as a result of doing something wrong.
25% gave the real reason as to why the parent was incarcerated.
25% added that their incarcerated parent was easily influenced and/or ‘too good’ and fell victim of peer pressure.
25% stated that their incarcerated parent did not have a very good upbringing.
[comment pending]
18. Participants' feeling at contact visits (at prison) with their incarcerated parent [top]
| Children |
Adolescents |
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[comment pending]
19. Participants' perception of the contact visit's time - is it enough? [top]
[comment pending]
20. Aspects of the contact visit that the participants dislike most [top]
- The search
- Too much noise
- Lack of privacy
- Unclean environment
- Cigarette smoke
- Too many people
[comment pending]
21. Adolescents' encounter of support in difficult moments [top]
74% of adolescents stated that they did find support and help during difficult moments.
26% stated the opposite.
[comment pending]
22. From whom adolescents found support [top]
[comment pending]
23. Participants' opinion on the police and the way they do their duty [top]
| Children |
Adolescents |
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[comment pending]
24. Adolescents' perception of the courts of justice [top]
74% stated that they do not have faith in the courts of justice.
13% stated the opposite.
13% were doubtful.
[comment pending]
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