How Incarceration Impacts the Basic Needs of Loved Ones & Families

OJoshua Williamsn a busy Monday morning at the beginning of the Fall semester, Maria came into my office looking for support to purchase textbooks. She had been waiting outside the door before the office opened, anxiously checking her phone for updates on whether her son was going to be granted a hearing date to commute his sentence. He had been incarcerated for four years, and in that time, Maria’s world had changed. The double-income household she once shared with her son had become a struggle for survival. Rent, food, and childcare now solely rested on her shoulders. After his incarceration, Maria left school and worked two jobs to care for her granddaughter and keep the household afloat. Now, with her granddaughter in elementary school and a bit of breathing room, she was returning to college to pursue her degree in sociology–but doing so still felt like an uphill battle.

For every incarcerated individual, there is often a mother, partner, sibling, or child left behind to carry the emotional and financial burden. While colleges are beginning to support formerly incarcerated students, few have strategies to address the needs of students like Maria– loved ones of incarcerated people–many of whom are college students themselves.

These family members are a largely invisible population within the basic needs movement in higher education. They are caregivers, financial supporters, and students navigating higher education under immense pressure. According to a study by the Ella Baker Center, nearly two-thirds of families with an incarcerated loved one struggled to meet basic needs like food and housing after incarceration. 83% of those carrying the financial burden were women, and one in three went into debt to cover court costs and prison visits.

Despite the growing momentum behind basic needs efforts on campus, justice impacted families remain at the margins. When students have incarcerated loved ones, the financial and emotional costs can directly derail their education. They may have to take on extra work, care for children, or navigate costly and time-consuming visitation systems. Many deal with isolation, stigma, and trauma while trying to focus on their academics.

The trauma is evident. Children with incarcerated parents are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Partners take on increased caregiving duties and financial responsibilities, and parents, especially mothers and grandmothers, often re-enter the workforce or take on multiple jobs later in life just to get by. These dynamics affect household incomes, mental health, academic success, and long-term aspirations.