Incarcerated mothers reclaim family bonds in Washington County's 'Parenting in Jail' class

In the courtroom turned classroom in the Washington County Jail, a transformation is unfolding as four women, whose lives are often reduced to being a statistic or stigma, are discovering themselves — not as inmates, but as mothers, daughters and carriers of family legacies.

Each woman, diverse in age and background, answers a seemingly harmless question that opens a door that reveals insight and understanding about their upbringing and defining what they value as a parent.

"I want my son to be able to communicate with me no matter what," wrote one woman during class.

In the brightly lit white wall room, the "Parenting in Jail" class takes place, a program that aims at rekindling the maternal bond that incarceration has strained, reducing trauma for affected children and more.

While the women engage in the class, a Family & Children Services educator facilitates the conversations and self-awareness. As the women advance through the program, it provides opportunities for them to visit their children, allowing them to apply the new parenting skills they've learned.

The class starts with simple breathing exercises and relaxing techniques to help participants do an emotional self-check. This week, the educator slowly guides the woman through a series of self-reflections and worksheets focusing on building a parental identity.

As the holiday season approaches, the discussions grow particularly pertinent. The women share family traditions they have and want — big things like the importance of instilling faith and passing on their tribal culture.

Also, the simple, seemingly insignificant moments like naps after big meals and hugging their children for just an extra heartbeat.

As they each spoke, the women would nod in agreement, giving them hope for a better future outside the walls. Turning parenting into not just a duty but an identity — one they felt might have been lost but are eager to reclaim.

"I want my children to feel safe and loved and know I am there for them always," wrote one woman during class.

State Senator Julie Daniels sat in for the class and came because she said, "This is how I learn, and the more I learn, the better I can do my job."

She praised Tulsa's Family & Children Services for the program and noted she would share her experience with her capital colleagues.

"While they're incarcerated, we need to make good use of their time," Daniels said. "Programs like this make life better for all of us."

Undersheriff Jon Copeland said that since starting the program in 2022, there has been a measurable improvement in inmates' behavior.

"We offer stuff like this with a goal to put me out of a job," said Copeland. "We want to see incarceration rates and reincarceration rates go down."

The Family & Children Services offers programs to both males and females in six counties in and around Tulsa County. There are currently around ten waiting to join Washington County's program.

Since 2022, the program in Bartlesville has seen 52 graduates, and 70 children have been able to visit family members incarcerated.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Healing families, one class at a time: ''Parenting in Jail' success