Children of Incarcerated Parents

Psychosocial health of children of incarcerated parents is a critical area of concern and yet acutely neglected in India. Despite Supreme court guidelines on ensuring age-appropriate care for children living along with their mothers in prison, there is variance in practice, which compounds the disadvantage of being a prisoner's child. The children left behind at home due to parental incarceration also experience vulnerabilities that emanate from their pre-existing socio-economic disadvantages, the continued interface of the child with the criminal justice system, as well as societal perception towards them. This results in a pronounced effect on their health, and educational, social and emotional wellbeing. Conscious efforts are required for strengthening the factors that could mitigate the adverse consequences of parental incarceration coupled with a debate on penal populism and the social and economic costs associated with the same.