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Serving People from Arrest to Reintegration

Building From the Ground Up: Creating Effective Programs to Mentor Children of Prisoners

  • Organization: Public/Private Ventures
  • Author: W. Wilson Goode, Sr.
  • Date Created: Friday, July 01, 2005
  • Submitted: Wednesday, June 27, 2007
  • Attachment(s): PDF
Amacchi and the Children of Prisoners:

Since 2000 a small but encouraging program initiative has been directed toward a population all but forgotten in American social policy. On any given day there are 7.3 million children with a parent in prison or under state or federal supervision. These children are the most at-risk in our society. Yet until recently there have been few efforts to address their needs on a national level. Statistics suggest that as many as 70 percent of these youngsters may eventually follow their parents into prison. Their risk of poor performance in school, in the labor market and in society is distressingly high.

The Amachi program, a collaborative effort established at Public/Private Ventures, aims to assist these young people through mentoring--a strategy proven to reduce risky behavior and promote achievement among disadvantaged youth.

*Amachi is a West African word that means, "Who knows but what God has brought us through this child?"
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