LEWISTON, Maine - The percent of Maine children with incarcerated parents is more than the national average and the highest in New England.
A report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds that 8 percent of the state's kids have a mom or dad who has spent time in jail or prison.
The executive director of the Maine Children's Alliance, Claire Berkowitz, says that's 20,000 kids. "It's traumatic to them, at the same level of divorce or domestic violence, abuse, and substance abuse."
The report says states and communities can help minimize the negative effect on kids by ensuring that a child is supported while a parent is incarcerated, and by helping parents find jobs once they return home.
