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Author
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Tendai Matambo
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Title
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The impact of incarceration on children of convicted felonies: A case study of Bindura prison inmates Mashonaland central Province
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Abstract
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This study, the impact of incarceration on children of convicted felonies: A case study of Bindura prison inmates, Mashonaland central Province. The study was guided by the following objectives, to explore and determine the barriers faced by children of convicted felonies and what support they desire, to investigate the social, economic and demographic challenges that children of the convicted felonies face upon sentencing, release and post release of their parent and to investigate the psychological trauma suffered by children of convicted felonies during sentencing, release and post release of their parents, and sought to answer the following questions, what are the barriers faced by children of convicted felonies?, what social, economic and demographic challenges faced by children of the convicted felonies from sentencing, release and post release of their parents? And what psychological trauma is faced by children of convicted felonies during sentencing, release and post release of their parents? Research instruments used were questionnaires and interviews. The population of the study was 80 incarcerated felonies in-between 2010 to 2021 and the sample was 60 and derived using a combination of purposive and judgmental sampling methods. The findings of the study were that geographical location, restrictions of visitation, corrections policy, child-unfriendly policies, parent caregiver relationships, maintenance of forms of contact, emotional attachment and financial hardships were the barriers faced by children in their day to day after incarceration, segregation, unequal opportunity, name tagging, high cost of living, poor health, low levels of education and declining family support were the among the social, economic, and demographic challenges faced by children of incarcerated felonies and that children experienced heightened stress levels, hopelessness, lethargy, isolation, frustration, debilitating health conditions, and high levels of anxiety were the psychological trauma faced by children of the incarcerated felonies, before, during and after sentencing. From the findings, it was concluded that to eradicated barriers, incarcerated members must be jailed closer to their area of residence such that visitation restrictions would be eradicated and children of the incarcerated member should receive enough financial support from NGOs and the correctional services so as to eradicate the social, economic and demographic challenges facing these children. From the conclusions, it is recommended that, the government through the correctional services provincial office should establish a branch that investigates in the lives of the children after incarceration as to establish barriers to life that would bedeviling these children and correctional services and NGOs must come together to harness resources so as to financial support the children left behind after incarceration of their family member. This is to reduce child headed families.
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Date
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June 2022
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Publisher
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BUSE
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Keywords
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Convicted Felonies
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Incarceration
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Supervisor
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N/A
Tendai Matambo.pdf