Children’s Laughter in a Men’s Prison
The visiting room in the New Hampshire State Prison for Men (NHSPM) can be an intimidating place.
Children of Incarcerated Adults
This program helps incarcerated adults stay connected with their children through literacy. CLiF provides resources to inspire confidence around reading, and to encourage the practice of reading together.
Activities and Support
- Inspiring storytelling presentations for incarcerated adults and their children
- Donating on-site libraries in prison visiting rooms
- Book giveaways: Parents choose brand-new books to send home as gifts; children select new books on visiting days
- Literacy seminars for parents to help them read with their children
- Audio recordings of incarcerated parents reading to their children, so they can share stories from afar
CLiF has provided children’s literacy programs and parent seminars to 17 facilities in New Hampshire and Vermont.
CLiF is currently working with the following correctional facilities through multi-year partnerships: Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, a women’s prison in South Burlington, VT; Marble Valley Correctional Facility in Rutland, VT; Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility in Berlin, NH, New Hampshire State Prison for Men and New Hampshire State Prison for Women in Concord, NH.
Storybook Programs
CLiF donates books to be used in prison storybook programs. These programs give incarcerated adults the opportunity to send a children’s book – and a recording of themselves reading the book – home to their children.
Studies show that participation in storybook programs helps keep families together and increases the chances of a parent staying at home once he or she is released from prison.
