The impact of the imprisonement of a family member is a serious challenge to the integrity of any family. Imprisonment harms children who are left behind by the incarceration of their parents -- children who themselves are at risk for criminal activity. Additionally, if the primary earner has been removed from the family, the challenge of providing licit means for the family's subsistance is aggravated.
"We believe the human person is social. Our dignity, rights and responsibilities are lived out in relationship with others, and primary among these is the family. The disintegration of family life and community has been a major contributor to crime. Supporting and rebuilding family ties should be central to efforts to prevent and respond to crime. . .
"Likewise, maintaining community and family connectionscan help offenders understand the harm they've done and prepare them for reintegration into society. Isolation may be necessary in some rare cases; but while cutting off family contact can make incarceration easier for those in charge, it can make reintegration harder for those in custody. [1]
[1] Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, December 2000, pp. 23-24.
Catholic Restorative Justice Ministeries (CRJM) works closely with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa and other support agencies such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society to mitigate the harm to families created by the imprisonment of a family member. CRJM also maintains working relationships with a variety of community agencies skilled at repairing the family dynamics harmed by criminal activity and by imprisonment. Since resources vary by location and situation, if you would like a referral to an appropriate charitable or counseling services. please contact us.
Get on the Bus
Each year, Catholic Restorative Justice Ministries' volunteers have the privilege of participating in the Get on the Bus Program. Get on the Bus transports children and their care-givers to institutions where the children's parents are imprisoned and supports the families with services prior to and during the visitation.
Ministry to Families of the Imprisoned and Detained