Social Service Program: the Halfway House Project

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Abstract

An examination of the current practices within the U.S. involving incarcerated mothers reveals that methods of re-socialization are not in place which would enable them to transition from being an inmate into being a mother and a productive member of society. Without this transitory period, it has been shown that such individuals are more likely to fall back into criminal behaviors that would adversely affect their children to the extent that the development of criminal tendencies would likely occur. It is based on this that this project proposes the development of a transitory environment which would enable mothers to develop the necessary skills and behavior to being to integrate back into society and take care of their children.

Summary

The main concept that I derived from mini papers 1 to 4 was that the incarceration of a parent can have potentially negative ramifications on a child’s developmental process due to the necessity of developing a bond between not only the parent and child but with society itself. What the research revealed was that mothers were a necessary factor in the development of social bonds that would enable proper social behaviors.

When a parent (i.e. a mother) is incarcerated, the method by which these social bonds develop is taken away as well resulting in a greater likelihood for the development of socially adverse types of behavior. I realized that the present-day system of incarceration simply did not consider such factors and, as such, is liable for the development of criminal tendencies among children with incarcerated parents. Not only that, I discovered that sufficient methods of re-socialization are not present in the present-day system and need to be implemented to resolve such an issue. I delved into the various systems that are currently in place and encountered numerous problems involving a lack of systematic care and evaluation in present-day methods of social rehabilitation between mother and child.

By researching the subject, I realized that the origin of the problem stemmed from a lack of sufficient systematic help in helping previously incarcerated mothers re-socialize, develop the necessary behaviors to properly take care of their children as well as hold a job. It is based on this that I developed the “Halfway House” project which tackles the issue by providing a systematic transitory environment where proper behavioral adjustment and skills training can take place to help incarcerated mothers develop the proper attitudes so that they can properly transit back into society and take care of their children.

Outline for Class

Main Point # 1

There needs to be a SYSTEMATIZED method of re-socialization for incarcerated mothers and their children wherein a systematic means of psychological evaluation, family bonding, and skills training is established in order help them properly transition back into society

Main Point # 2

The current system of corrections in the U.S. neglects to take into consideration the necessity of transition between incarceration and society for a formerly incarcerated parent

Main Point # 3

A halfway house can help to address the identified problems by creating a safe environment where mothers and their children can bond and develop the necessary behaviors to become a family again.

Main Point #4

The proposed method of re-socialization helps to address the issues that were found to be “lacking” in other halfway house concepts. The difference though between the halfway houses currently in existence and what I created in my paper is that mine utilizes a systematic process of rehabilitation. Instead of merely being a place for the transition. A more active method of assistance helps to better prepare incarcerated mothers for the transition back into society.

Based on my research, the main problem with halfway houses for incarcerated mothers at the present is that they lack a sufficiently systematized method of helping incarcerated mothers. These places do provide skills training and a means for mothers to better connect with their children but lack the methods of evaluation and psychological assistance to evaluate whether a mother is prepared to transition back into society.

By providing the methods of evaluation and following the rehabilitation structure that has been advocated for in the paper, can help to prevent cases where formerly incarcerated mothers fall back into criminal behaviors.

Social bonds are a necessary means of avoiding the development of adverse social behaviors (i.e. criminal tendencies). Parents are the best means of developing social bonds, without them the likelihood of developing criminal tendencies significantly increases.

Social Service Program: The Half Way House Project

Introduction

Social control theory especially states that all individuals have the potential to become criminals, however, it is the “bond” they share with society whether in the form of friendships, recognition of societal rules, norms of conduct, and parental influences that prevent them from actually committing a crime (Payne and Salotti, 2007). In the case of children with incarcerated mothers, it has been shown that they lack a sufficient bond with society due to the absence of motherly guidance which Payne and Salotti (2007) indicate is one of the reasons behind the development of socially adverse behaviors later on in life.

One clear example of such a case manifests itself in the form of Charles Manson who is a noted psychopath that was behind the Tate and Labianca murders. It was noted by various psychologists that the repeated incarceration of his mother and the lack of a sufficient means of helping him develop the necessary bonds with society resulted in the development of his deranged mental state.

Other studies such as those by DeHart and Altshuler (2009) support this assertion by showing records on how children who had incarcerated parents had a high likelihood of becoming criminals themselves due to the lack of authority figures and a bond with a society that would enable them to realize that what they were doing is wrong. It is the opinion of the researcher that the origin of the problem lies in the fact that various court cases throughout the years have clearly shown a distinct bias towards the mother having custody of a child.

Despite this predilection in choosing mothers, the fact remains that there are few transitory programs currently in existence that are meant to help a recently incarcerated mother to transition back into society with her child. Based on this information, the goal of this proposal is the development of a social service program that specifically addresses the issue of transitioning mothers back into society.

The Half Way House Project

In the study “Saturday morning at the jail” by Arditti et al. (2003) a series of semi-structured interviews were conducted utilizing 56 caregivers who have brought children to meet their parents in jail for 20 minutes. The results of the study support the assumption of this paper that it is necessary to implement some form of family counseling to create a period of transition. Incarceration creates a “divide” so to speak between parents and children which necessitates a period of transition. It is based on this perspective that this paper proposes that a transition period is necessary between the times that a mother is incarcerated in jail to the point that they are supposed to take care of their children at home. Such a transition period requires the following factors:

1. an environment where the actions of the mother can be observed
2. where mothers can interact with their children in a normal fashion
3. where proper guidance can be implemented based on identified problems or under a schedule of transition.

One such environment was proposed by Turney, Schnittker & Wildeman (2012) in the form of a halfway house where inmates from prison could stay, orient themselves in such a way that they can integrate themselves into society (i.e. get a job, become more sociable, etc.) and be able to live independently without having to rely on outside assistance. Such a measure can be applied in the case of incarcerated mothers and their children to help them transition from being an inmate into a productive member of society.

Objectives

The objectives of this program are as follows:

1. To create an environment where mothers can develop a proper relationship with their children without added stress
2. To help mothers transition themselves and their children back into society through counseling and guidance
3. To enable mothers to independently care for their children through skills training and job placement

Geographical Focus

For this initial approach, the state of New York and the area known as South Jamaica Queens has been chosen for the initial launch of the project. The reason this particular area was chosen was due to the high crime rate as well as the considerable level of police presence in the area. This means that this environment is rife with potential previously incarcerated mothers and would be an ideal location where the program could show its effectiveness.

Stakeholder

For the halfway house project that will be implemented in South Jamaica Queens, it will be mandatory for any formerly incarcerated mother who has recently been released from a local women’s penitentiary to be assigned to the facility along with her child. In a sense, she is to carry out the remainder of her sentence within the facility to help her transition back into society in a more effective manner.

Services

Services for this project will include:

1. Counseling sessions
2. Psychiatric evaluations
3. Job Training

Theoretical Rationale

The theoretical rationale for this project is based on social control theory which explains that creating the necessary bonds between mother and child and ensuring that the environment that they grow up in is a positive one, would mitigate the possibility of the child developing socially adverse tendencies later on in life.

Proposed Framework for Approach

Transitioning Incarcerated Mothers and their Children into a Proper Relationship

One of the main problems with the current system of criminal justice is it assumes that incarcerated mothers can immediately develop a normal family relationship with their children once they are released from incarceration. Such an assumption is fallacious and has been proven to be so by studies such as those by Turney, Schnittker & Wildeman (2012) which indicates that it is likely a mother would feel like a “fish out of water” so to speak, since not only would they need to transition themselves into society but they also need to transition back into a proper relationship with their children.

Based on this, the first step of the halfway house project involves placing both parent and child into an environment where pressure related to having to work or transition into society is alleviated. By doing so, creates an environment where parent and child have a chance at developing a normal relationship.

Incorporating Aspects of Normalcy

The second phase of the halfway house project is incorporating aspects of normalcy into the family dynamic through the implementation of routines. DeHart and Altshuler (2009) explain that routines are an essential aspect of introducing normalcy into a previously incarcerated inmate since they act as a means of embedding one’s self into a set of actions that help to define everyday living. Once a proper routine is in place, former inmates tend to lose the sense of uncertainty and nervousness when it comes to reintegrating back into normal society.

Implementing Methods of Parent-Child Counseling

On a micro-system level, the ecological systems model also shows that a child’s entire life is rearranged after the mother is incarcerated, which then leads to trauma, psychological distress, aggression, negative developmental outcomes, and exposure to poverty (Holmes, Belmonte, Wentworth and Tillman, 2010). From the point of view of McGee (2009), counseling is a justifiable method of social work intervention in the case of incarcerated mothers since it helps to prepare them for the rigors of child care.

McGee (2009) states that “all too often when mothers are released from prison and are put back in charge of their children they find themselves at a loss as to what to do or what practices to implement due to the time they spend away from their children”(p.1-2). It is based on this perspective that weekly meetings will be held between a mother and a counselor to discuss any problems that the mother may encounter.

Job Assistance and Work-Related Skills Training

Massoglia, Firebaugh, and Warner (2013) explain that when a mother is caught, sentenced to jail, and then released once her prison term is over, she finds herself with a prison record that would deter her from obtaining gainful employment. This lack of opportunity due to a criminal record results in a greater predilection towards crime as a means of having some form of income. As such, aside from helping mothers transition into a relationship with their children, another activity that will be pursued is to help mothers develop the necessary skills to become part of the workforce again.

Transitioning Back into Society

Another aspect of the ecological systems model that should be taken into consideration is its impact at the mesosystem level wherein incarcerated mothers and their children are more likely to become ostracized and the target of stigma and negative attention by neighbors and other community members, leading to psychological distress and hatred. Additionally, extant literature demonstrates that “…higher rates of incarceration and reentry often result in high residential mobility rates that disrupt social networks and create an atmosphere of mistrust, isolation, and low self-esteem” (Holmes et al., 2010). As such, it becomes evident that some means of social transition is necessary for recently incarcerated mothers to ensure that there will be no discrimination or victimization of them or their children.

Sample Budget

Budget Expenditure Plan for Organization

• Director: $53,000
• 2 Supervisors: $80,000
• 10 In-house Care Specialists: $350,000
• 2 Clerical: $50,000
• Benefits X 28% of total Salaries: $149, 240
• Total Salaries and Benefits: $682,240

Operating expenses

• Rent: $100,000
• Utilities: $15,000
• Telephone: $5,000
• Printing: $1,000
• Office Supplies: $2,000
• Postage and Shipping: $500
• Insurance: $10,000
• Audits: $2,000
• Total Operating Expenses: $135,500

Travel

• In-state Travel: $4,000
• Out-of-state Travel: $6,000
• Conferences: 500
• Total Agency Annual Expenditure: $828,240

Financing Plan

The budget that has been presented is based on an annual budget of $828,240 and will be based on a grant paid through the Department of Corrections. This is a nonprofit government organization and is meant primarily as a method of preventing the development of criminal tendencies among young children by ensuring that their mothers can properly care for and nurture them into adulthood.

The reason behind this grant request is connected to the fact that the Department of Corrections should be responsible for ensuring that those released from their care become adults that can effectively transition back into society. Funding for this grant can be achieved by allocating present-day grants by the department of corrections of the state of New York for career assistance services for female prisoners towards the Halfway house project.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Program

Formative Evaluation

Evaluation Design

The Halfway House project will utilize an external evaluator to ensure that the data that is collected and presented for evaluation to the department of corrections is free from any potential data manipulation. The third-party evaluator in this case will conduct a quarterly evaluation of the Halfway House project through services such as:

1. Monitoring of activities within the project
2. Conducting a quarterly audit of the project expenditures
3. Implementing fidelity checks
4. Creation of a semi-annual progress report to show whether sufficient progress has been made with the project participants
5. Lastly, a formative evaluation system will be created to measure the performance of the project to determine whether the goals it set out to achieve were obtained.

Performance Evaluation

Formative evaluation of the performance of the Halfway House project will proceed as follows:

1. Project procedures involving re-socialization, psychiatric transitioning as well as job skills development will be evaluated on a metric based system of progression to determine whether the has been sufficient progress for the formerly incarcerated mothers in developing the necessary skills to incorporate themselves back into society, take care of their children and hold a steady job (Yuen, Terao & Schmidt, 2009).
2. The activities and practices of the organization will be evaluated based on their ability to meet project milestones as well as conform to necessary timelines of formerly incarcerated mothers entering the facility to the point in time in which they leave. Proper adherence to this timeline is essential to ensure that the organization does not go over budget or that it is merely being used as a “free ride” by the former prisoners.
3. Have the employees of the halfway house project carried out the projected activities with sufficient fidelity to the method of treatment and management that was initially designed? This aspect of the evaluation plan will determine if the employees have implemented project activities related to the goal and objectives of the halfway house project.
4. Use of information to perform self-assessment and program improvement on the part of the halfway house staff – this method of assessment involves an evaluation as to whether or not the staff of the project has utilized the formative evaluation provided to them by the evaluator to improve operational performance
5. Do the halfway house’s policies, procedures, and methods of management effectively help to support the project in accomplishing its proposed activities and meeting the desired project milestones? This method of evaluation will help to determine whether the current operational structure of the project is capable of carrying out the activities that it is supposed to accomplish?
6. Are the current policies and feedback mechanisms that are used to evaluate the halfway house project effective in supporting an ongoing review and continued program improvement? Due to the necessity of interviewing the various project stakeholders such as counselors, care specialists, and site evaluators, it is necessary to determine whether the feedback mechanisms that are utilized have any positive effect in actually helping to improve the program’s operations.

Processes

Outcome Evaluation Objectives

The objectives of the outcome evaluation plan for the halfway house project are as follows:

1. The ability of the mother to properly transition back into society
2. The ability of the mother to hold a job over an extended period
3. The ability of the mother to provide for the physical and emotional needs of her child.

Outcome Evaluation Design

The outcome evaluation will utilize an external evaluator to determine the overall effectiveness of the outcome through the following design factors:

1. Monitoring the condition of the mother and child
2. Examining the level of emotional attachment between parent and child
3. Determining the level of re-socialization and proper behavioral adjustment (Yuen, Terao & Schmidt, 2009)

Outcome Evaluation

The outcome evaluation will proceed as follows:

Connection with their Child

The first method of evaluating the effectiveness of the program comes in the form of observing whether the implementation of shared routines and activities, as well as family counseling, has had a positive impact on the ability of the mother to properly connect and raise her child. An evaluation of this nature will take into consideration their general predisposition towards each other, how they interact as well as behavioral changes that occur over several weeks. Should the mother display a positive behavioral change with the child reciprocating and actively seeking her attention, then it can be stated that the program was a success in this case.

Transitioning Into Society

An evaluation based on a mother’s ability to transition into society consists of weekly meetings with the evaluator that will arrive at their apartment to examine their current well-being. This can take the form of examining the apartment’s general upkeep, the health of the mother’s children, and various other observable factors. Should the evaluator determine that their household is in order and there are no observable problems with their neighbors then it can be stated that in terms of transitioning into society the program has been effective?

Holding a Job

Holding a job over a particular length of time can be considered a good indicator as to whether or not an individual has developed into a proper member of society. It is based on this that the mothers will be evaluated through weekly reports from their supervisor regarding their general behavior, attitude, and if they are still working. If they show that they are working hard, are displaying the correct kind of behavior, and can hold the job over a significant portion of time (i.e. 6 months or more) then it can be stated that the program has been successful in enabling them to become independent and possessing the capacity to financially provide for their children.

Processes

Reference List

Arditti, J. A., Lambert-Shute, J., and Joest, K. (2003). Saturday Morning at the Jail: Implications of Incarceration for Families and Children. Family Relations, 52(3), 195.

DeHart, D.D., and Altshuler, S.J. (2009). Violence exposure among children of incarcerated mothers. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 2(5), 467-479.

Holmes, T.R., Belmonte, K., Wentworth, M., and Tillman, K. (2010). Parents “in the System”: An ecological systems approach to the development of children with incarcerated parents: In Y.R. Harris, J.A. Graham and G.J.O. Carpenter (Eds.), Children of incarcerated parents: Theoretical, developmental, and clinical issues (pp. 68-90). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

Massoglia, M., Firebaugh, G., and Warner, C. (2013). Racial Variation in the Effect of Incarceration on Neighborhood Attainment. American Sociological Review, 78(1), 142-165.

McGee, Z. (2009). From the Inside: Patterns of Coping and Adjustment among Women in Prison. Conference Papers — American Society Of Criminology, 1.

Payne, A., & Salotti, S. (2007). A Comparative Analysis of Social Learning and Social Control Theories in the Prediction of College Crime. Deviant Behavior, 28(6), 553-573.

Turney, K., Schnittker, J., & Wildeman, C. (2012). Those They Leave Behind: Paternal Incarceration and Maternal Instrumental Support. Journal Of Marriage & Family, 74(5), 1149-1165.

Yuen, F., Terao, K., & Schmidt, A. (2009). Effective grant writing and program evaluation for human service professionals. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

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