Children's Justice Alliance
Prioritizing, Parenting and Protecting Our Children
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Success Story: Anthony
In 2007, Anthony, father of five children ranging in age from six to eighteen and a twenty-year heroin addict, was convicted of child neglect and drug dealing. He was given a two year sentence and sent to the men’s prison in Salem, OR. Anthony was raised by parents who were addicts and who were involved in the criminal justice system.
The children were put into foster care, Anthony was denied visits with his wife and the children, and he and his wife of twenty years were both required to take parenting classes. In 2008, Anthony enrolled in a Parenting Inside Out (PIO) class. A few weeks later his wife enrolled in a PIO class offered in the community. Though they were not allowed to see each other, Anthony and his wife communicated through letters, carrying on a dialog about their new parenting skills and sharing what they were learning in PIO.
After the twelve week PIO program concluded, Anthony advocated with his counselor at the Department of Corrections (DOC) and the PIO parenting coach to request that his five children be allowed a supervised visit at the PIO graduation event. The request was granted and although his wife was not allowed to attend the graduation the inmate had another family member bring his children. He did a wonderful job balancing his time with his children when visiting them and practiced parenting to their individual needs.
Because both parents took PIO and recognized the long term need for successful integration into the community, Anthony’s wife and family supported his decision to not return home right away and to go into an in-house drug treatment program. Upon his release from prison he entered a six month and was placed on one year post prison supervision.
During this time, his wife successfully completed her PIO class in the community and was granted custody of their 5 children again. Six months after release from prison, the father completed the treatment program and gained employment. One year after release, he successfully completed post-prison supervision and requested from the courts and DHS to move back home with his wife and 5 children; the request was granted. He remains frees today.