The effects of children's criminality on mothers of offenders

This exploratory study sought to understand the effects of criminality on mothers of offenders. Semistructured in-depth interviews were used to gather data from 27 mothers. Respondents reported that their children's criminality leads to a series of complications and stressors in mothers' lives, including physical, psychological, relational, social, and economic effects. Mothers also reported on offenders' relationships with their fathers and the stigma of criminality. The destructive impact of a child's criminality, and the need for support for offenders' families, particularly their mothers, is evident. Peer support, social service networking, and improved criminal justice response are suggested as means to assist mothers.