Southern California Family Law Attorney Blog

Teen pregnancy rates are high throughout the country, and it is an unfortunate fact that a person who has a baby in their teens is also likely to participate in other activities that are not legal. If the baby’s father is in juvenile detention, he is not likely to get child custody, nor is he able to care for the baby while he is incarcerated. Rather than assuming that the child and the father will be unable to have a relationship, some California detention centers are focusing on fixing the problem.

In correctional facilities in California and Ohio, young fathers are given a chance to meet with their children and girlfriends regularly through the Baby Elmo Program. Although the visits at first appear to counselors to be more about seeing the girlfriend, they also notice a change in the young men after several visits, as the focus shifts to the child and what they need.

Statistics show that in California alone, over 75,000 teen fathers between 14 and 18 reside in correctional facilities and are unable to interact with their children. The program deals with many teens that were convicted of violent crimes, and teaches them appropriate parenting skills to use when they are released.

Juvenile crimes are treated differently, and often it is believed that a juvenile can be rehabilitated and live a normal life after serving time for committing a crime. With the help of programs like these, it may not necessary in the future for a father be distanced his child simply because he made a bad choice in his teen years.

Source: ABC, "Baby Elmo Program: Teen dads at Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility learn parenting skills," Dave Arnold, June 14, 2013