Understanding the risk of offending for the children of imprisoned parents: A review of the evidence

The view that children of imprisoned parents are more likely to end up as offenders or in prison themselves has gathered pace in recent years and is afforded considerable legitimacy. This paper is a critical review of the studies of parental and maternal imprisonments conducted since the 1960s. The review examines how patterns of family offending have been measured and portrayed, explores to what extent claims of an intergenerational association are well-founded, and questions the real risks posed to the children of prisoners.

► Research into offending patterns for children of prisoners is reviewed.
► Findings indicate that the majority of prisoners have not had a parent imprisoned.
► Risk of intergenerational offending to children of prisoners is poorly established.
► Attention would be better placed on the immediate problems of these children.