Major findings from interviews for this study include: most participants felt that visits are important to maintaining familial relationships and reducing the trauma of separation; a strong belief by participants that current prison conditions create undue hardships for adults and children to visit incarcerated family members; and a lack of programs to assist families separated by incarceration. Information for this report came from a review of the data regarding the incarceration of women in New York State correctional facilities along with interviews of incarcerated women and their children, friends or relatives of the incarcerated women who bring their children for visits, caregivers for the children, and foster care caseworkers. Results of the data review are presented in several chapters that address the incarcerated women, the increased risks to children of incarcerated women when placed in foster care, the legal rights and responsibilities of parents with children in foster care, and the barriers to effective legal redress for incarcerated mothers. The report also presents detailed experiences of caregivers, caseworkers, and incarcerated mothers and their children, along with 17 recommendations for change to New York State's child welfare system, the New York State Department of Correctional Services, the legal system, budgets for New York State and New York City, and interagency reforms. 174 endnotes