Corrections_Today_January_February_2020_Vol.82_No.1

Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

inept men of her day who abdicated their roles of responsibility. Hannah’s story gives incarcerated mothers a model for parenting well from a distance. Her influence on her son’s life, even during difficult times and dysfunctional situations, helped shape him into a world leader. The small group discussion format of the “Hannah’s Gift” study fosters a support network among the mothers. They find a place and a pattern with which to process their pain and anxi- ety. This is also a place where hope can grow for their own legacy. Han- nah’s story teaches us that amazing things can still happen in a family af- fected by the tragedy of incarceration. If we want to see our women in prisons take advantage of

rehabilitative opportunities, we must be mindful to address the mental and emotional suffering that stays on the surface of their minds concerning their children. If we create a path to manage these ever-present struggles, we can help them develop the coping skills needed to take steps of prog- ress in other areas. Endnotes 1 Fact Sheet (2019). Incarcerated Women and Girls. Washington, D.C.: The Sentencing Project. Retrieved from https://www.sentencingproject.org/ publications/incarcerated-women-and-girls/ 2 Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2016). Children of Incarcerated Parents, a Shared Sentence. Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved from https://www.aecf.org/resources/a-shared-sentence/ 3 Bronson, Jennifer; Berzofsky, Marcus. (2017). Indicators of Mental Health Problems Reported by

Prisoners and Jail Inmates, 2011-12. Washington D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics. 4 Manuel Villa, The Marshall Project (2017). 5 Anderson, Kristi Miller. Beautiful Woman (2018). Lifeline Publishers. My latest book explores the innate wiring of a women for her family, and how that dynamic plays into helping her successfully reenter society after prison. 6 Glaze, L.E., and Maruschak, L.M. (2009). Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children. Washington D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics. Dr. Kristi Miller Anderson began her advocacy for incarcerated women as a chaplain, education coordinator and assistant warden of programming at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women. She speaks frequently to women in prison and jail and encourages and gives thought leadership to groups who work with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women. You can visit her website at kristimilleranderson.com.

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