When most people talk about the consequences of being arrested—such as the devastating effects it can have on mental health or the legal ramifications—the talk is usually only about one person: the person that is incarcerated.
And while it’s true that the incarcerated individuals bear the brunt of the situation, there are other people that suffer with them: the people in their family. They are equally caught up in the social stigmas, mass isolation, financial crisis, legal pitfalls, and uncertainties about their futures.
To top it all off, they are estranged from their loved one who languishes in jail. It’s a bad place to be in for any family—and we need to talk about these families.
The Hidden Problems that We Do Not See
We think that the most that could happen to the family of an incarcerated person is going through a tough financial time. The actual problem runs deeper than that. Today, when the parents of almost half of all American children have a criminal record, the problem is even more glaringly painful.
These problems range from employment to education to housing to other aspects of life. Often children need to relocate with the remaining parent to a different state or even change their name because the social stigma is too much to bear. Additionally, the criminal record of a parent feeds in to the biases of schools, housing schemes, etc. Growing up, these children might even find themselves hard-pressed for jobs.
Simply put, it is a sophisticated way of keeping the children and families of an incarcerated man under systemic oppression and ill-being.
How the Arrest of a Parent Affects a Child
Children are dependent on either or both of their parents. While the parent might be the actual victim on incarceration, it’s very well to call the children “hidden victims.” Children of incarcerated parents have to go through many challenges through the years. Psychological challenges are the worst of all, since they require coping mechanisms which not all children may be able to find.
Worse still, if the incarceration is meant to be for a longer period of time, this could affect the child in devastating ways for the long-term. There are studies that prove that dependent children with incarcerated parents have to suffer unconditionally for as long as their parents continue to be in jail.
How Bail Bonds Prevent This from Happening
For a small sum of 10% of the entire bail amount, a bail bonds agency such as Lee Calhoun Bail Bonds will show you the ticket to escape jail within days of your arrest. You can be around your children and in cahoots with a good lawyer to discuss and decide the best course for your future. If you’ve found yourself or a loved one in such a situation, feel free to give us at Lee Calhoun Bail Bonds a call at (352) 379-9100 or read more about what we do here.
A Gainesville, Florida-based company with an experience of 15 years, we can promise you speedy and sure relief.