By Ross Jackson, Nikki Pressley

The incarceration of parents has devastating effects on the family unit, especially on health, education, employment, and quality of life outcomes for children. Texas should enact mitigation laws that redirect parents who commit non-violent, non-serious crimes to diversionary programs that keep them at home with their children while serving their sentence.

KEY POINTS

• Incarceration has particularly devastating consequences for children of imprisoned parents, as it harms their mental health and affects their academic performance, employment opportunities, and overall quality of life.

• Many states, including Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington, have attempted to keep individuals with children closer to their families by enacting caregiver diversion and mitigation laws.

• By enacting mitigation legislation, Texas can keep families together, reduce recidivism, and better steward taxpayer dollars.

Austin TX: Right On Crime, 2024. 12p.