How to Combat the Negative Effects of Punishment Drift on Children

Author

Madison Alliston, University of MississippiFollow

Date of Award

Spring 4-22-2022

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Public Policy Leadership

First Advisor

Kyle Fritz

Second Advisor

Melissa Bass

Third Advisor

Timothy Yenter

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Approximately 2.7 million children have a parent that is currently incarcerated in the United States. Despite the fact that these children are innocent, they face a myriad of negative consequences due to the separation from their parents. The negative effect of incarceration on children is known as punishment drift. Because the effects of incarceration tend to “drift” onto children, these individuals typically face psychological impacts (e.g., social anxiety and depression), economic impacts (e.g., poverty and food insecurity), and environmental impacts (e.g., foster care) from punishment drift. Despite all of the detrimental effects, there have been very few policy solutions implemented and seriously considered that directly combat punishment drift on children. This study investigates the impact of punishment drift on children and provides recommendations of how to develop efficient, feasible, and ethical policies that mitigate these various impacts. Policymakers should use this thesis for future research in determining policies to implement to decrease the consequences of parental incarceration faced by children.

Recommended Citation

Alliston, Madison, "How to Combat the Negative Effects of Punishment Drift on Children" (2022). Honors Theses. 2695.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2695

Accessibility Status

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