Group aims to support families of imprisoned

During the eight months her son spent in Saratoga County Jail, Teresa had few people to whom she could turn for support. Her husband wanted to avoid the issue, her parish priest turned his back on her, and her friends refused to speak to her.

That's when Teresa befriended Margaret Morahan, whose son also was imprisoned. Their relationship led to the formation of Prison Families Anonymous, a support group that provided Teresa with the outlet she needed to cope with her son's crime and the consequences he faced.

"No matter how bad things were, you just felt comfortable there talking to each other because you knew what they were going through and they knew what you were going through," Teresa said.

Shattered lives

The group, which meets monthly at Saratoga County Catholic and Family Services, is similar to a group Ms. Morahan attended in Albany after her son went to prison on a manslaughter charge in 1987. He was charged in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy he knew from high school; her son was 18 at the time.

"I was at a complete loss. My life was shattered, and there was no one to talk to about it," she said.

Although Ms. Morahan found the support group in Albany helpful, she wanted to establish one in Saratoga County, where she lived, and address the needs of wives of prisoners in particular.

Listening sessions

Although the group occasionally hosts speakers from the state Department of Corrections or priests who discuss imprisonment from a Christian perspective, most meetings simply give prisoners' families a chance to share their thoughts and find out more about how to deal with a loved one being in prison.

For example, families learn about the procedures for phone calls when a loved one is in prison. Since all calls must be collect and additional charges apply when calling from prison, a family's phone bill could be as high as $500 in one month.

"Sometimes, the inmates are so lonely that they'll call two, three, four times a day," Ms. Morahan said. Family members need to say "no" occasionally or come up with rules and regulations regarding phone calls so that their bills don't become overwhelming.

Bringing food or packages into prison is another issue. Although inmates may expect to receive items when family members visit, it's not always possible; since the inmate is often the bread-winner in the family, loved ones can't afford to provide the inmates with anything.

Faith behind bars

Ms. Morahan, who visited her son every week while he was in prison, emphasized the importance her religious faith played while her son was in prison. While she is a Baptist, she raised her son Catholic, the same faith of her husband. Her faith gave her hope that her son would be okay in prison and that he'd be a better man for it.

"When you know that God is in charge, it's much easier to give this problem to Him because it's more than anyone can carry by themselves," she said.

In some ways, her son's imprisonment was a blessing because it helped him to see how fortunate he was to have a family that loved him and was concerned about his well-being.

Prison Families Anonymous is a non-denominational group, but the meetings do deal with imprisonment from a Christian perspective. Regardless of inmates' or families' faith, Ms. Morahan believes that without trust in God, prisoners won't become rehabilitated.

"The only way that criminals will change is if we get religion back and follow God's guidelines for our lives," she said.

(For more information on Prison Families Anonymous, call Catholic Charities of Saratoga County at 587-5000.)

(08-13-98) [[In-content Ad]]