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Physical activity (PA) and its contributions to wellbeing are understudied among incarcerated youth. We used 2019 Minnesota Student Survey data to describe PA rates and test PA's associations with indicators of psychological, social, and perceived health for adolescents in juvenile corrections facilities (JCFs). Participants (n = 265, 29% female, mage = 15.4 years) self-reported days of $ \ge $ ≥ 60 min of PA in the previous week. They also reported how often they experienced joy and energy and built trusting peer relationships, as well as how they perceived their overall health and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We calculated descriptive statistics and tested PA's associations with psychological, social, and perceived health variables among the full sample, then stratified by sex, with unadjusted and age-adjusted models. Female and male youth averaged over 5 days of $ \ge $ ≥ 60 min of PA. PA was positively, significantly associated with experiencing joy and energy, building trusting peer relationships, and having better perceived health, though sex-related differences emerged. PA was unassociated with anxiety and depression. Results suggest PA rates are high in JCFs, though quality remains unclear. While PA is positively associated with certain developmental outcomes for incarcerated youth, PA alone seems insufficient for mitigating their mental health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incarcerated people – including those who are parents – have a diverse set of criminogenic needs and responsivity issues, raising questions about how best to support them in prison. Using a sample of 2,120 adults in state prison, this study examined self-reported needs and programs of interest, assessed how these varied by parenting status and between mothers and fathers, and considered predictors of individuals' interest in parenting services. Participants most frequently reported needs related to negative peer influences, substance use, and housing; meanwhile employment and education programs received the most interest. Parents were more likely than non-parents to express needs regarding family relationships; mothers self-identified substance use and mental health treatment, whereas fathers more often called for employment programming. Being younger, a mother, or a parent of color, as well as having younger children and contact during prison, were associated with increased odds of expressing interest in parenting programs. These findings inform decisions around prison programming that better fits individuals' self-identified needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. jails are typically over-crowded settings and have faced notable social distancing challenges and a lack of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, institutions made swift policy changes that included canceling in-person visits, suspending programming, and releasing a proportion of people with low-level charges. That said, a still-significant number of individuals remained incarcerated for whom the consequences of such abrupt procedural changes amidst an ongoing pandemic remain largely unknown. To begin to examine this, 33 adults in a mid-sized, county jail were surveyed to assess their experiences. Participants were majority Black men, half of whom were parents, and all had been tested for COVID-19. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected yielding results, which indicated that COVID-19 significantly disrupted daily jail activities, adversely influenced health, and strained family relationships. Use of segregation, delayed court proceedings, inadequate health responses, and suspended programming and visits with limited contact alternatives reportedly intersected with depleted mental health to contribute to feelings of isolation and heightened concern for the well-being of family. Policy and practice implications are discussed that would help incarcerated people receive necessary support and maintain family connections while mitigating health concerns that emerge during public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact between incarcerated parents and their children can help maintain family relationships. However, links between parent–child contact and child behavior problems are understudied in young children, especially the contexts in which visits and other forms of contact occur. Data were collected from 157 parents incarcerated in one of two jails regarding contact with their young children (age 2–6), as well as children's behavior problems. Findings indicated that jail site moderated the association between visit frequency and child behavior problems. At the jail that offered both on-site video and Plexiglas visits, with no security procedures for the on-site video visits, more frequent parent–child visits were associated with fewer child externalizing problems; however, in the jail that offered primarily Plexiglas visits, more frequent visits were associated with more child externalizing problems. Additionally, more phone calls related to more child externalizing behavior problems. This research has implications for policies and practices regarding contact between incarcerated parents and their young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]