THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION MANUAL FOR TEACHING PARENTING SKILLS TO INCARCERATED FATHERS

by Smith, Sarah Jane

Using the literature pertaining to incarcerated fathers and program design, a family life education curriculum has been developed in order to teach parenting skills to incarcerated fathers. Family systems theory has been used to show the extensive effects that the incarceration of a parent has on the family and to show the positive effect on the family that can result from an incarcerated man becoming a more active parent. The goal of the family life education curriculum that has been developed, “Fathering for Life”, is to improve the parenting skills of incarcerated fathers and to reduce the recidivism rates of men in the prison system and the risk of the children of these men becoming involved in the criminal justice system by increasing the strength of familial bonds.