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Parents in Prison

An illustration shows a portrait of a woman with green eyes, wearing a blouse and earrings. Clouds and yellow sun rays are in the background.
Life Inside July 21
A New Law Gave Me 1 Year With My Babies Before Heading to Prison. How Will I Say Goodbye?
Minnesota’s Healthy Start law allowed Victoria Lopez to begin her seven-year prison sentence at home with her infant twins. Now comes the separation.
By Victoria Lopez, as told to
An illustration shows a baby in fetal position within a broken face of a Black woman, surrounded by shattered pieces. A white teardrop is shown under an eye of the broken face. In the background, pink and white sparkles are positioned throughout the illustration.
Life Inside April 28
I Raised My Kids From Prison. Soon, I’m Coming Home to a Grandson.
Chanell Burnette’s two sons were very young when she was incarcerated 18 years ago. “It’s funny how things come full circle,” writes the first-time grandmother. “This is two generations of me.”
By Chanell Burnette
An illustration shows a White man holding a phone while looking up. Hot air balloons float in the background, connected to phone cords.
Life Inside November 18, 2022
Between Addiction and Prison, I Left My Boy to Grow Up Without a Dad
With his release date quickly approaching, Ryan M. Moser reflects on the pain he caused his son — and his hopes for healing their relationship.
By Ryan M. Moser
An illustration showcases Demetrius Buckley, who is currently incarcerated, in an orange prison suit and holding onto a phone. He looks through a window at his daughter, who is sitting alone in a park.
Life Inside March 11, 2022
The Powerlessness of Parenting From Prison
Demetrius Buckley thought his bond with his 11-year-old daughter was strong. But when he couldn’t physically protect his child from adult problems, he learned the limits of parenting via prison phone calls.
By
The Frame October 7, 2021
When Mom Is In Prison — And When She Comes Home
“Oh, Mother of Mine,” a short documentary and photography project by Anna Rawls, explores the generational impact of incarcerating mothers.
By Anna Rawls
Life Inside September 23, 2021
Police Killed My Dad When I Was 8. Next Came the Rage
After cops beat my father to death, I wreaked havoc on my community.Three decades later, I wonder what my story would have been if he had lived.
By Aulzue “Blue” Fields as told to Leah Rhyne
Life Inside June 13, 2019
After Prison, I Became a Better Dad
“Even when a parent has been part of a child’s pain, that parent’s love can still be the antidote.”
By Richard Hines–Norwood, as told to Rachel Blustain
Life Inside June 11, 2019
I Thought I Knew My Father, Then I Met Him in Prison
“In a way, it was like seeing myself clearly for the first time.”
By Sergio Hill
Life Inside December 11, 2015
My Wife and Child Died on the Way Home From Visiting Me in Prison
On loss behind bars.
By Charles Davis
Feature October 18, 2015
For Men in Prison, Child Support Becomes a Crushing Debt
New regulations would give parents in prison the right to pause child support payments, but opponents say it undercuts welfare reform.
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