ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the disproportionate confinement of African American men in state prisons and how their imprisonment affects their families and family relationships. It describes five types of family-centered programs or services designed to help incarcerated African American males and their families survive the trauma of imprisonment. The following types of programs or services can help African-American men and their families cope with the effects of incarceration: culturally appropriate family-support groups, clinical services, community-based family life education programs, family life education programs in correctional institutions, and family case-management services. Schools of social work must not only educate students about the plight of incarcerated African American males and their families, they must provide them with the knowledge and skills required to practice effectively with this population. The children of incarcerated men are particularly vulnerable to emotional and psychological problems during the father's imprisonment.
