Published in March 2024 by Bartlesville Monthly Magazine. View here.
By Natasha Mitchell
Karen, with tears in her eyes, reflects on the transformation she witnessed in her son Tom following his numerous visits with his seven children at the Washington County Detention Center.
Tom, who has been battling drug addiction since his adolescence, has been imprisoned on several occasions.
“I’ve been the one looking after the children,” she shared, deep in thought. “I’ve been alone, caring for the children while their father is incarcerated. Their mother is ill, so I’m the only one who can step in. I’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of help from the community.”
“The program you offer has been a blessing for my son and my grandchildren. The jail staff went the extra mile and truly made a difference in my son’s life.”
The Parenting in Jail (PIJ) program, located within the Washington County Detention Center, is aimed at rehabilitating incarcerated parents with children. The program, initiated in August 2022, is a joint effort between the detention center and Family & Children Services, a Tulsa-based Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). It provides parenting classes to both male and female inmates.
“We see immense benefits for the whole family when incarcerated parents and their children can have positive, consistent contact,” said PIJ Director Lucie Doll. “Our goal is to provide participants and their families with the tools to make their time together healthy and meaningful and to reduce the financial barriers that often keep them apart.”
Originally started in Tulsa County, the program has been running there for several years. Thanks to a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) contract granted by Oklahoma Human Services, the program has now expanded to five more counties.
The Procedure
An educator from FCS visits the detention center two to three times a week to conduct parenting classes. The program uses the Parenting Inside Out ® (PIO) curriculum, an evidence-based approach to teaching parenting skills to those involved in the criminal justice system. The curriculum, which is delivered over six weeks to both male and female inmates, addresses the profound impact of parent-child separation with a non-traditional approach to parent education. The program helps parents promote healthy child adjustment, prevent child problem behavior and build resilience in children.
Program participants who show considerable progress and meet certain criteria are allowed weekly visits with their children. Since the program’s inception, 78 children have had the opportunity to visit their incarcerated parent. The program aims to equip these parents with practical tools to better support their families upon release. Washington County Undersheriff Jon Copeland has noticed positive changes in inmate behavior since the parenting classes started.
Success Rate
The success rate of this program in Washington County is among the highest in the six Northeast Oklahoma county jails where it is implemented. To date, the program has served 108 participants (including the current group of 16) and has produced 57 graduates. Eighty-one percent of these graduates have increased their contact with their children through the program.
“The program is helping inmates become better citizens and family members upon their release, and to prevent them from re-offending,” said Copeland. “Our main goals are being achieved with great success. The biggest challenge has been changing the norms and restoring a healthier family dynamic. Some of them are not familiar with what those dynamics are.”
This initiative shows how well-thought-out programs can have a positive impact on families, even in demanding situations. Alongside the PIJ, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office reinstated the GED (General Education Development) program a year ago, in partnership with FCS’ Women in Recovery Employment & Education team. The WCSO celebrated its first graduation in November 2023.
