In Michigan, a staggering statistic exists: 1 in 10 children have known the pain of an incarcerated parent.
That number isn’t abstract. It represents classrooms, playgrounds, and dinner tables across the state. It represents kids carrying confusion, grief, shame, and fear long before they have the words to describe what they’re feeling.
Children are often described as the “collateral consequences” of incarceration, but that framing still misses the point. These children aren’t collateral. They are directly impacted, and too often, completely overlooked.
The Littlest Victims of Mass Incarceration
When a parent is incarcerated, children experience sudden disruption:
- A parent disappears from daily life, often without explanation
- Routines collapse
- Financial stress increases
- Caregiving arrangements change
- Stigma and secrecy creep in
Many children internalize the loss. They may believe they did something wrong. They may struggle with anxiety, behavioral changes, trouble at school, or withdrawal, without adults realizing why.
And unlike adults, children don’t get court-appointed counselors, legal explanations, or support systems designed with them in mind.
Why Sesame Workshop Matters Here
Sesame Workshop (the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street) has stepped into this gap with empathy, research, and intention.
Their resources for children with incarcerated loved ones are designed to:
- Explain incarceration in age-appropriate, non-judgmental ways
- Help children name and process complex emotions
- Support caregivers in having difficult conversations
- Reduce shame by reminding children they are not alone
These tools are free, accessible, and created with trauma-informed expertise. They include:
- Short videos featuring familiar Sesame Street characters
- Storybooks that normalize feelings of sadness, anger, and confusion
- Art and play-based activities to help children express what they can’t yet say
- Guides for caregivers navigating their own stress while supporting a child
This isn’t about “fixing” children. It’s about giving them language, safety, and reassurance in a situation they did not create.
Why Resources Like This Are Essential
Mass incarceration doesn’t just punish individuals. It reshapes childhoods. Research consistently shows that children with incarcerated parents face higher risks of:
- Mental health challenges
- Academic disruption
- Housing instability
- Long-term involvement with the justice system themselves
But those outcomes are not inevitable.
Support matters. Honest conversations matter. Stability matters. When children are given tools to understand what’s happening and adults are supported in showing up for them, the harm can be reduced.
A Reminder for Adults and Policymakers
Children do not vote.
They do not sit in courtrooms.
They do not write policy.
But they live with the consequences of every charging decision, sentencing choice, and incarceration policy we tolerate. If we are serious about breaking cycles of harm, we have to start by protecting children who are already carrying more than they should.
Explore the Resources
Sesame Workshop’s resources for children coping with incarceration are available here.
They are worth sharing; with parents, caregivers, teachers, advocates, and anyone working with children impacted by the justice system.
Because compassion should not depend on age.
And justice should never forget children.
