State Surveys of Parents in Minnesota Prisons and Jails
The goal of the Minnesota State Survey (MSS) was to determine the prevalence of parental incarceration in Minnesota state prisons and county jails. Recognizing parenting status among incarcerated populations has important implications and opportunities for corrections’ programs and policies.
Parents in Prison
Through a partnership with the Minnesota Department of Corrections and the University of Minnesota, data was collected from all new admissions over the course of six months, July 2015 to December 2015, at MCF-St. Cloud and MCF-Shakopee. Of the 2,416 who attended orientation sessions and were offered the opportunity to complete the survey, 2,242 (92.7%) completed the survey.
Parents in Jail
In 2017, we extended this work to county jails. In partnership with the Association of Minnesota Counties and with support from the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, we conducted a study of parents in Minnesota jails and their children. On a single day in March 2017, 65 (81%) of the 80 county correctional facilities in Minnesota administered a survey to the individuals in their facility. In total, 2,675 adults (84%) completed the survey of the 3,201 incarcerated adults invited to participate.
State Survey of MN Prisons.pdfShlafer, Duwe, & Hindt, 2019_State Survey.pdfState Survey of MN Jails.pdf