Supporting families and children of mothers in jail: an integrated child welfare and criminal justice strategy.

Charged with the responsibility for protecting children and preserving families, the child welfare system needs to pay special attention to women in jail and their families. Jails provide an opportunity to reach families early in the criminal justice process. This article explores why working with women in jail and their children is within the scope of the child welfare system's mandate; describes the pressures on the criminal justice and child welfare systems that prevent either from working effectively with these families; and suggests a collaborative strategy for working more effectively with mothers in jail and their children.