Addressing the "impact of incarceration on children and families" is a an objective of CHSA and family mediation for incarcerated parents is one of the strategies endorsed by of the Children's Cabinet of the Governor's Office (GOCC) as a part of their Four Strategic Goals to develop a family-focused approach to reducing the impact of parental incarceration. A GOCC 2015 study shows that " { t} he impact of incarceration on children and families includes family instability, higher rates of child welfare involvement, and post-traumatic effects such as hypervigilance, feelings of despair and powerlessness, and poor academic outcomes." Further, this impact "remains an understudied and underserved area ... "

Statistics from CCDC continue to be pending at the writing of this application but sampling children participating in a YES Cecil County summer camp in 2016 found that 38% had at least one incarcerated parent. The population and geographic area targets for this program are Cecil County families where at least one parent is incarcerated in the CCDC.

Community Mediation Maryland (CMM) will support CMUS (the Cecil County Community Mediation Center and the CMUS Family Reunification Program by providing training and technical assistance as well as program evaluation.

CMUS will partner with the Cecil County Detention Center (CCDC) to offer Reentry Mediation and Parenting Plan Mediation services to inmates and their families/community members.

•             Recidivism rates for those who mediate decline from 1 in 3 reoffending (31 % ) to 1 in 5 reoffending (21 %). Mediating prior to release will strengthen families by increasing the probability that the one parent will not reoffend and re-enter incarceration.

•             80% of those going to mediation agree they are more likely to not use violence to resolve their conflict and they would try to think things through before responding.

•             The probability of arrest is reduced by 13 % for those who mediated compared to those who did not. The number of sessions is also a significant factor - with each additional mediation session, the probability of arrest is reduced by 8%.

•             The probability of conviction is reduced by 15%, for those who mediated compared to those who did not. With each additional mediation session, the probability of conviction is reduced by 9%.

•             The probability of being sentenced to incarceration is reduced by 10% for those who mediated compared to those who did not. With each additional mediation session, the probability of conviction is reduced by 7%.

•             Among those returned to prison by DPSCS Department of Corrections (DOC), the probability of recidivism for those who mediate is 12% less than those who do not mediate. The number of sessions is not a significant factor on this measure.

Performance in 2018 did not meet expectations.  An agreement with the Detention Center was executed in Spring of 2018 to iron out staffing/security and procedural issues. 

Data is collected from this program monthly.  Where appropriate, measures are reported on each month, at the mid-year point or annually.  Tools include intake forms

Number of signed participant agreements