4-PERCENT OF CHILDREN
HAVE A PARENT WHO IS
BEHIND BARS SERVING TIME.
SO, WHAT IS IT LIKE
PARENTING FROM A JAIL OR
PRISON CELL?
(DON)
ONE PROGRAM - STARTED BY
A FORMER INMATE OF THE
NORFOLK CITY JAIL - IS
NOW BEING
USED IN JAIL AND PRISONS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
OUR LAURA CASO HAS MORE
FROM THE WOMAN BEHIND IT
- AND THE LOCAL INMATES -
WHO ARE BENEFITTING.
WE BROUGHT YOU INSIDE THE
CLASSROOM - AS MOTHERS
WORKED TO RECONNECT WITH
THEIR CHILDREN.
MANY TEARS IN THAT STORY,
AS WOMEN OPENED UP TO ME
STEP CLOSER TO PARENTING
FROM
BEHIND BARS TO PARENTING
AT HOME.
THAT'S BECAUSE THE
INMATES ARE GRADUATING
FROM THE MESSAGES PROJECT
AT
THE NORFOLK CITY JAIL.
THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A
HEALTHY FAMILY CONNECTION
BETWEEN A MOTHER AND
CHILD
FROM JAIL.
MOTHERS ATTEND CLASS
INSIDE THE JAIL WHERE
THEY LEARN HOW TO PARENT
FROM BEHIND
BARS, THAT INCLUDES
WRITING LETTERS TO THEIR
CHILDREN AT HOME.
A NORFOLK WOMAN WHO WOUND
UP IN THE NORFOLK CITY
JAIL IN 1994 CREATED IT.
SHE CAME BACK TO HAMPTON
ROADS FOR THE GRADUATION.
9237 4:31:08 CAROLYN
LECROY/CREATOR, THE
MESSAGES PROJECT "I HURT
MY CHILDREN, I DESERTED
MY CHILDREN, MY CHILDREN
WERE ANGRY AT ME, MY
CHILDREN WERE MAD AT ME.
AND THEY HAD EVERY SINGLE
RIGHT TO BE. I CHOSE
WHATEVER IT WAS THAT I
DID OVER THEM."
COMING UP LATER THIS
MORNING, WE HEAR FROM
INMATES ABOUT WHAT THIS
MOMENT
MEANS TO THEM.
PLUS, THE REUNIONS
BETWEEN MOMS AND KIDS AT
THE NORFOLK CITY JAIL.
MORE ON THE MESSAGES
PROJECT - AHEAD.
LAURA CASO, 10 ON YOUR
SIDE.
