The effects of mother-child separation due to incarceration are examined, as are the caregiving patterns for the children, the process by which offender mothers and their children reunite, the way mothering is influenced by imprisonment and parole, and ways in which the criminal justice system can address issues relating to offender mothers and their children. Fifty-five women parolees, randomly selected from all paroled offender mothers in Michigan, were interviewed in 1980, as were 18 parole officers. In addition, the parole record of each mother was examined. Eighty-five percent of the women lived with all or some of their children prior to incarceration. Although most of the children were cared for by relatives during the mother's incarceration, 74 percent of the women said their children experienced some problems during, and possibly due to, their incarceration. The women and their parole agents agreed that the parole process should not interfere with the women's family relationships. Nonetheless, the parolees faced numerous problems, including insufficient income and unemployment. The need for prison and parole agencies to recognize their impact on offender mothers' family responsibilities and to develop programs to better serve these women is emphasized. Approximately 70 references and 8 appendixes are included. (Author abstract modified)