Reprinted from November 28, 2019
Third of four parts
Nearly two-thirds of imprisoned mothers have never received a visit from their children.
Jill McCorkel, professor of sociology and criminology, Villanova University in Philadelphia, submitted the following article to The Conversation.
“…Distance is the main obstacle. Women’s prisons are fewer in number and in remote areas. One study found that more than 60% of mothers are imprisoned more than 100 miles away from their children.
“When prisoners are more than 50 miles from family, visits become less frequent. When the distance exceeds 150 miles, visits, especially those involving minor children, are virtually nonexistent.
“Consider the challenges for the Alvarado family, which lives in Philadelphia.
“Judy, Bianca’s grandmother, does not drive. Although a third of the Muncy prison’s prisoners are from Philadelphia and surrounding counties, there is no public transportation from city to prison. For $35 a person round-trip, a prisoner advocacy organization offers a bus trip every other month. Unfortunately, these trips take place on Mondays, when Bianca is in school.
“Occasionally Bianca and her grandmother find a ride with a family member or friend. The prison does not offer evening or mid-week visits, which makes coordinating work and school schedules tricky. Families who want to maximize their time together must arrive at the prison by 8 a.m.. Visits end at 3:30 p.m..
“The drive, seven hours round trip from Philadelphia, is arduous. Rest stops are few. One segment features stunning mountain vistas, but no safe areas to pull off to change a diaper or feed a hungry toddler.
“Prison visits are expensive. Traveling to remote locations means that many families incur costs associated with lodging in addition to transport. Among low-income families, the costs of visits and phone calls can consume up to one-third of a family’s monthly income.
Continued next week