INCARCERATED PARENTS - THE IMPACT ON AMERICAN CHILDREN

This broadcast segment of "EMPOWERING MEN" addresses the impact of incarcerated parents on America's children.  During childhood and adolescence, many children have experienced their parents being incarcerated. How have these children been impacted and influenced by the trauma associated with visiting parents who are incarcerated within America's penal system?

The dialogue will focus on the sociological, psychological, economic, educational, and political implications of growing up in America with incarcerated parents.

Today's special guest is Mr. Devon Wade who is a graduate of Louisiana State University with degrees in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and in African & African American Studies with honors. Devon’s passion is youth advocacy, and he has traveled across the country speaking at prisons, providing motivational and keynote addresses, and attending conferences on the effects of parental incarceration. Devon’s own past of having both parents incarcerated during his youth has served to motivate his current research interest in how parental incarceration impedes children of offenders’ educational interest and outcomes. Moreover, Devon is interested in the substantive research areas of race, education, crime and urban space. Devon is an awardee of the prestigious Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship and the Truman Scholarship. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in sociology at Columbia University.  

The host of "EMPOWERING MEN" is Minister Thomas Ryer, Executive Director / Public Advocacy for the Men's Empowerment Network.