Arkansas -Programs for Families of Adult Offenders

[Jus' Mom]

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Friends and Families
of Incarcerated Persons and Society
(501) 275-3752
P.O. Box 7
Coy, AR 72037
Contact: Marie Fegans, Vice President
Agency Head: Michael Fegans, President
Area Served: Arkansas
Promotes a rehabilitative approach to crime in
Arkansas by voter education and family support
services.


(MIWATCH Ministeries to Incarcerated
Women and Their Children)
(501) 372-5113
2224 Main Street
Little Rock, AR 72206
Contact/Agency Head: Freddie Nixon, Coordinator
Area Served: Arkansas
Parent Organization: Women’s Project and United
Methodist Women
Pairs children of inmates with screened volunteers
to transport them to visits with their mothers at the
prison. Also collects personal hygiene items for
inmates.



The Parent Center
(501) 666-6833
5905 Forest Place, Suite 205
Little Rock, AR 72207
Contact: Susan Phillips, Community Resource
Development Coordinator
Agency Head: Doug Stadter, CEO
Area Served: Arkansas
Established: 1991
Parent Organization: Centers for Youth
and Families
Has four programs. 1) Family Matters targets
children of female offenders and relatives who care
for them. Provides crisis intervention for children
following the arrest of a mother, family life education
groups for mothers in jail, assistance planning for the
care of children of incarcerated women, support
groups and parent education for grandparents and
other relatives, and assistance accessing social
services. 2) Parenting from Prison provides parent
education classes for incarcerated mothers in the
Arkansas Department of Corrections. 3) Second
Genesis Support Group provides education groups
education, seminars, workshops, research, public
policy advocacy, and technical assistance in
developing programs.
Publications: “What You Should Know: A Guide for
Grandparents Caring for Children Whose Mothers
Have Been Arrested,” “Children of Incarcerated
Mothers and Their Caregivers: A Needs Assessment,”
“The Effectiveness of Parent Education for
Inmate Mothers: An Evaluation Report,” “Results
from Survey of Public and Private Agencies with
Regards to Policies and Services to Incarcerated
Women, Their Children, and Caregivers,” “Mothers
in Prison: What becomes of their children?,”
“Implications of the Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity Act for Children of Incarcerated
Mothers,” “Rethinking Child Welfare Assistance for
Children Living with Relatives other Than Their
Parents,” and “Family Matters Pilot Project: Final
Report to the Little Rock Task Force on Youth.”
for mothers who are returning to the community. 4)
Community Resource Development provides public

[countrys_guirl]

Thanks for that info!
JC

[Jade01]

Thank You! I never knew they had programs like this in Arkansas.

[Jonesz's Wife]

Why exactly do so many programs target female inmates? My husband has two beautiful little boys in Arkansas that miss their dad terribly. Why wouldn't they offer programs to help the men stay as active in their children's lives as possible? Daddies are just as important in a young child's life as Mommies are! But I am grateful that at least some children are being thought of and helped!!! I believe that it has more of an impact on them if they get to go down and see that their parent is okay because of all the violence they see associated with prisons on TV. They also need to see that it is not fun at all so that they will always know in their hearts that it is not the kind of life they want when they grow up. My stepsons worry constantly about their father, and their mother won't allow visits. She has started to allow them to talk on the phone if they are with his sister, though, so maybe it's a start. I know she is trying to protect them. She is a great mother! I just hope that now he is at MCWR that maybe she'll allow them to see him sometime.

[butchies_girl]

yes why isnt there more programs for the male offenders?

[JJT]

It is the same nation wide. Plenty of help for the female/mother inmates, while the men/fathers are overlooked.