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Program Allows Jailed Moms To Read To Their Kids
February 8, 2012
Women who volunteer to participate in the WRAP Program (Women’s Reentry Assistance Program) at the Escambia County Jail can now read books to their children during their jail visits.
The Women’s Reentry Assistance Program (WRAP) was developed and implemented in the Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Facility in January 2011. The program is eight weeks in duration and targets those women who are serving county jail sentences. The program offers counseling and case management to participants prior to release.
The idea of reading books came about when one young mother asked what she could do during the hour-long visits she had with her 2 year old son. Children are able to see their parents through a glass window, but cannot touch or play with their children during visits. She said that he would get impatient and attempt to run around the visitation area, which is not permitted. This question was brought up in the parenting class offered by Community Drug and Alcohol Council, which is one of the many classes offered in WRAP.
Books used in the lending library were generously donated by The Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County. Parents are required to complete a “book report” after each visit recording which books they borrowed and what the experience was like both for them and their child.
One mom is now reading books on every visit and said, “My child loves for me to read her books at home, so she was really excited for me to be able to do it from in here. It made me feel better as a mother to still be able to do something she enjoyed during this time.”
The benefits of reading to children are great, increasing the parent-child bond as well as increasing reading-readiness skills. If parents can make a positive connection with their child while in jail, then that will hopefully help them continue that relationship when they are released and are back with their families, according to organizers.
Comments
20 Responses to “Program Allows Jailed Moms To Read To Their Kids”
REGARDING:
“The reality is these woman are in jail which should be a punishment for whatever crime they committed and also a deterrent for not returning to jail and a life of crime once they get out. Why should they receive any special treatment and be able to spend time with their children by reading to them while they are in jail? “
If being in jail or prison is the punishment and they are still in prison while they are reading to their children, then they are still being punished. Is it not so?
Perhaps just being locked up isn’t enough. Perhaps we need to whip them with a bull whip every so often? Perhaps each one should be in solitary confinement and tied up, unable even to move? They absolutely shouldn’t have any visitors?
Just wondering.
David considering limits and extent of punishment
I don’t know why anyone thinks that ANYONE can go to jail. No one I ever
hung with EVER went to jail, including my husband and I.
Some people need to pick better friend maybe and find better things to do
with their time. I prefer my tax dollars go to things that better society especially
children, however this is not a program I agree with..
I see no need to subject any child to the jails or their visiting rooms.
Have grandmother take them to the park, and have the mothers spend time
at the jails library reading books related to job training and good parenting.
THOSE are the SKILLS she will need when she gets out, if she ever does.
Thanks to you too Echo. it is nice to know everyone is has not gone insane,
thinking all this horse pucky is OK or normal in any way.
Regarding “I’m not sure this would be any reward for the mothers”
The reality is these woman are in jail which should be a punishment for whatever crime they committed and also a deterrant for not returning to jail and a life of crime once they get out. Why should they receive any special treatment and be able to spend time with their children by reading to them while they are in jail? The point is they shouldn’t be in jail anyway if they were a responsible parent! What they should be doing is put out on the streets to pick up trash or make license plates for those of us working moms who contribute to society by working full-time to pay our way in the world and not live off the system like most of these women were probably doing prior to going to jail. It is called being a loving, responsible parent and human being! Nobody pays for me to read to my child during my lunch hour because, guess what, I’m working to pay for my family to live and not sponge off of others! How’s that for reality!
REGARDING:
“Personally I am glad my tax money is going to this program. Its better then my tax money going to NASA and them doing worthless things that don’t help my country or the people in my country.”
Things like communications satellites which allow us to connect with each other and watch The Waltons on DIRECTV?
Weather satellites which save thousands of lives yearly?
Electronics innovations which include everything which uses integrated circuits, like your computer and cell phone and television and car, CAT scans and NMRI’s for examples?
GPS which allows emergency personnel to respond quickly and accurately to people needing help?
GPS which allows even the most incompetent to find their way without getting lost and wasting energy resources?
Yep, money spent on NASA is certainly a waste of money which could be spent more wisely on more potato chips.
David for proper priorities
REGARDING:
“I also think people are accountable for their actions and mothers shouldn’t be “rewarded” for being in jail. ”
I’m not sure this would be any form of reward for the mothers. It might even drive home what their actions have cost them and their children. This would also be a good thing if it encouraged them to not do bad things in the future so they could have unrestricted time with their children, not just an hour a day every so often.
And I don’t see where it raises the cost for the honest citizens or makes life more dangerous for the guards.
David for reality
@Peace and Love
I’m not heartless, I’m a realist and I just tell it like it is. I 100% agree that children should be helped in any situation. However, I also think people are accountable for their actions and mothers shouldn’t be “rewarded” for being in jail. Most normal people I know (who happen to never have been to jail because they are big boys and girls) think the same way. If you think it is O.K. for children to visit their “mothers” in jail and grow up thinking this is normal, then your mentality is what is wrong with the world today.
By the way, I would give my money to NASA anyday over providing assistance to jailbird mothers. Maybe they can find a planet in a far away galaxy that we can send all of the scum of society to live on, so all of us normal people can live in peace.
This is a good thing! : )
This is why America is falling apart b/c we have heartless people like “echo” who is only worried about him/her self and there “tax money”. They are people just like you (echo) even if they have made bad choices in the life.
My concern is the childern that have no mother at this time. I dont care what you think or say but childern need motherly bond and love even if there mother is in jail. Personally I am glad my tax money is going to this program. Its better then my tax money going to NASA and them doing wrothless things that don’t help my country or the people in my country. If I were you “echo” I would learn some compassion and mercy. You never know when you are going to need help from other people.
I think that those of you who are against it should Take precautions such as: When you have that drink don’t drive! IF YOU TAKE A NARCOTIC FOR PAIN AND DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF IT! IF YOU GIVE ONE TO A FRIEND WHO IS IN PAIN ! THEN U COULD GO TO JAIL YOURSELF! Seems so easy to not get in trouble huh?
Well it happens even if you bought an item second hand and u don’t know its stolen, you go to jail. If you give a friend a ride who has something illegal you could go to jail. If some one brings something illegal into your home and you are unaware then you could go to jail. PLEASE Anyone can go to jail, so worry about the other problems in your life and let those who try to help others be. SMH at the perfect angels who do no wrong. How about those minor adjustments on your taxes???? PLEASE
Agree with “Echo”. I work a full time job just to have 18% wasted in taxes for these type of programs.
To “Who has not sinned”
Sound like you are one of the ”
takers” or “Entitled” of our society.
@Char
Kudos to you…Just read your post and I agree 110%! Perfectly stated – why would you ever want your child to think visiting their parent in jail is normal or O.K.! I’m glad to know there are others who feel the way I do. THANK YOU!
@Who has not sinned
So, according to your logic, we should live in a society where no one is accountable for their actions and the ones who choose to live responsibly (as in making good choices and NOT GOING TO JAIL) dare not say anything about the ones who make the bad choices. Sorry, I disagree. When it is my tax money (and yours too!) that is paying for the housing and programs for the idiots of society who can’t figure out how to stay out of jail (which by the way is a pretty easy thing to do – don’t break the law), then I most certainly can judge. Religion has nothing to do with it. I guess I’m just old-fashioned and think that people are 100% accountable for their actions and I am tired of having to pay for their mistakes with my hard earned tax dollars.
wow ! I do believe some of these people deserve to be in jail however unless you have walked a mile in their shoes who are you to judge these women and how dare someone say ” if it were up to them they would not even see their children ” ! Who are you to decide that ?? Thankfully you are not the one to make that decision, just because someone is in jail does not mean that they do not deserve to see their children depending on the circumstance ! I think it is great that these moms are doing something comforting and educational for their children while they are in jail ! So quick to judge others, I guess you never made a mistake or EVER broke a law right ?? yeah right. Jesus died for our sins and I suggest you leave the judging up to God.
What children don’t need their dads? Its always the females that get all this help and dads get nothing. there are good fathers in jail not all are deadbeats.
I have NO compassion for women who have babies and go to jail. They should be ashamed of themselves and, if it were up to me, they wouldn’t be allowed to even see their children. How disgusting that a child has to see their mother in jail. The article states “that a young mother asked what she could do during the hour long visits with her son”. Really? How about figuring out how to act like a real woman and a contributing member of society in the first place, so YOUR CHILD DOESN’T HAVE TO COME VISIT YOU IN JAIL!
What are they reading ?
SEE MOMMY
THIS IS MOMMY IN JAIL
DONT DO LIKE MOMMY
OR YOU TOO WILL BE IN JAIL
Girl,
There is always SOMEONE who has to be negative.
You obviously missed the point of the story AND the program. Did you not read it? It is not the fault of the children that their mothers are incarcerated. The children must be accompanied by another adult, so the guards are not going to be babysitting.
At least they came up with something other than than the alternative.
Learn some compassion!
REGARDING:
“Stop worrying about the happiness of these criminals and worry about the safety of this county/officers.”
I don’t see where this would increase risk to the officers. If the kids are too rowdy, I’m sure they can be evicted from the room. If they are occupied, they are less likely to be rowdy. Being read to is good for children. Reading to children is good for parents. If the mothers (yes, they are criminals, but to some extend are also mothers) are occupied usefully, they are less likely to be rowdy.
Come to think of it, if everybody stopped and read a book before committing a crime, there would be fewer crimes.
David for trying ere quitting
and functional literacy
I thought they were moving the visitation into another building. I feel sorry for the officers that have to work in this environment. This is a daycare, not a jail. It is gonna take one of the Escambia Jail Officers to get hurt before it goes back to being a jail for punishment of these womens actions. The inmates serving county time are only one charge away from state time, or probably returning inmates. Stop worrying about the happiness of these criminals and worry about the safety of this county/officers.
One thing I know for sure…if I had ever got put in jail I would never never have
wanted to have my Children visit me there. I see no reason to let small children
know that mommy or daddy is in jail. Why would you want your children to know
that? Why would you want to subject your Children to visits where other Criminals
are held and being seen by their relatives? Why would you EVER want your small
children to think this is normal or OK? ALL things which will taint them and they
will remember later with more understanding.
Phone calls could have been made without all the explanations that must be going
on in this type of thing. Keep them Pure and Happy for as long as possible and
away from all the nasties of life, especially if you are prone to get involved in law
breaking.
Better yet don’t break the law and think of your children FIRST, and what your actions might do to them.
JUST MY OPINION……