Abstract
The relationship between a mother and their child(ren) is one of the most important and most common reciprocal relationships in society. To children, mothers represent a primary source of physical, mental, social, and emotional development. Barber, et al. reference how central mother-child relationships are to social life (1999), but how does that relationship change when the mother becomes incarcerated? Spaces of incarceration limit interaction between incarcerated mothers and their children, leading to disruptions in parental duties. Designated visitation spaces in prisons are the sole exception to this but, unfortunately, visitation rates for incarcerated women are much lower than that of men, and this is exacerbated by transportation challenges, a lack of caregiver support, austere atmospheres, and strict security measures (Casey-Acevedo & Bakken, 2002). Furthermore, most prison visitation spaces are not designed to benefit or strengthen the bonds between an incarcerated mother and her child(ren). This paper outlines a collaborative design project between researchers at a university and the staff of a local women’s prison. The project’s goals include increasing visitation frequency and supporting mother/child(ren) bonds. The authors outline survey results, the design process, and the collaborative strategies utilized to mitigate the negative effects of incarceration on mother-child relationships.
Presenters
Kiwana Mc ClungChief Inclusion Officer/Professor, Office for Campus Inclusion/School of Architecture and Design, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Caregivers, Children, Families, Incarceration, Incarcerated, Mothers, Prison, Relationships, Women
