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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]

Background: There is a causal relationship between parental incarceration (PI) and childhood food insecurity (FI). This is a pressing policy issue given that public assistance designed to curb hunger (i.e., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is often revoked due to incarceration which, on top of the removal of a household income source, can significantly alter children's food access. Yet questions remain regarding the prevalence of FI among youth with incarcerated parents, as well as the interplay of parent–child coresidence, race/ethnicity, and geographic region. Method: Data come from the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey, a statewide sample of adolescents (N = 112,554). Youth self-reported experiences of PI, parent–child coresidence at the time of incarceration, past-month FI, and race/ethnicity. Based on school districts, regions were classified as city, suburb, town, or rural. Results: Youth with currently and formerly incarcerated parents reported significantly higher rates of FI (18.11% and 10.41%, respectively) compared to peers who never experienced PI (2.84%; ORs = 7.56 and 3.97, respectively). Among youth with currently incarcerated parents, rates of FI were highest among those who lived with the parent at the time of incarceration (21.79%) compared to those who did not (13.98%). Youth of color and city youth were more likely to experience FI in contexts of PI. Conclusions: Findings extend the link between PI and child FI. The evidence is concerning given FI's heightened risk for chronic health conditions, which may be compounded by trauma and systemic injustice. This work has implications for policies that expand, rather than reduce, food access and financial assistance. Public Significance Statement: This study reveals that adolescents with currently or formerly incarcerated parents are significantly more likely to experience food insecurity, especially those who lived with the parent at the time of incarceration. The findings highlight the urgent need for policies that protect and expand food access and financial assistance for affected families. [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]

One in fourteen children experience the incarceration of a parent only to be reunited upon release where risk for recidivism remains high—the implications of which for children's well-being is not well understood. To fill this gap, the study uses data from the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting and Partnering to follow 543 justice-involved fathers 18-months post-release. Results suggest that stable reentry trajectories are associated with children's decreased behavior problems, particularly for those who are non-residential. Boys and older children may be more negatively influenced by frequency of recidivism whereas girls and younger children may benefit more from longer durations of community time. Findings inform strategies that ease reintegration processes and improve well-being for children in justice-involved families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Incarceration rates are highest in rural communities, disproportionately exposing rural children to parental incarceration (PI). Substance use is a pressing public health issue—and a key driver of incarceration—in rural areas, yet limited research has examined PI as a social determinant of health for adolescent alcohol and drug use. This study links exposure to PI with rural adolescent substance use and examines the role of coresidence with parents in these associations. Methods: Data come from the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey, including 18,820 rural adolescents. Respondents self‐reported experiences of PI (current, former, never), whether they lived with the parent at the time of incarceration, and past‐year alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine use. Findings: Over 22% of rural adolescents experienced PI. In adjusted logistic regression models, current PI was associated with greater past‐year alcohol (aOR = 2.20), marijuana (aOR = 4.08), cocaine (aOR = 3.61), heroin (aOR = 4.96), and methamphetamine (aOR = 5.43) use compared to peers who never experienced PI. Current PI was also associated with greater counts of use. Associations between coresidence and substance use were largely nonsignificant. Conclusions: The elevated risk for substance use in the context of rural PI and its adverse sequelae call for expanded prevention and intervention strategies that support adolescent health alongside targeted decarceration efforts in rural communities that reduce the number of families put in the potentially compromising situation of PI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 8.1 million Americans with disabilities qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Individuals with disabilities were particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, which may have altered individual and household behavior. Research on the impact of COVID-19 on individuals with disabilities and their families remains limited. Authors analyzed 2020 National Health Interview Survey data. Logistic regression models were applied, controlling for the effects of age, race, sex, income, education, employment, and health status. Households with SSI/SSDI beneficiaries with disabilities were associated with significantly greater odds of delaying or forgoing medical care and receiving needed personal and household care at home due to COVID-19 compared with households without beneficiaries. The health and well-being of households with individuals with disabilities may require more robust and inclusive social work initiatives that aim to reduce adverse pandemic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This qualitative study examined adult perspectives on the adjustments children face through the process of paternal incarceration and eventual release. Background: While the United States leads the world in incarceration, 95% of imprisoned individuals return to community life. Despite poor outcomes for children with incarcerated fathers, less is known as to how they fair after fathers' release. Conceptualizing paternal incarceration and reentry as linked rather than disparate events, this study examines perspectives on family separation, reunification, and children's adjustment when fathers return from prison. Method: The sample consisted of 38 participants (19 previously incarcerated fathers, nine coparenting mothers, and 10 relatives) who shared perspectives on 63 children's adjustments. The semistructured interviews were analyzed via thematic analysis. Results: Two main themes were evident: (a) Paternal incarceration has a lasting toll on children that complicates reunification processes, introduces hurdles to maintaining togetherness, and is tied to changes in children's behaviors; and (b) reentry renews opportunity for father involvement that bolsters resilience despite ongoing systemic vulnerabilities. Conclusion: Postrelease family reunification may present challenges for children's adjustment, though supported transitions may curb some concerns. The findings call for strengths‐oriented, needs‐focused, and evidence‐based reentry strategies that support entire family systems. [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]