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The Right to a Family Environment for Children of Prisoners

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Book cover A Child's Right to a Healthy Environment

Part of the book series: The Loyola University Symposium on the Human Rights of Children ((LUSY,volume 1))

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Abstract

As the “natural environment for the growth and well-being” of children (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, preamble), the family has long enjoyed special protection within international human rights law (e.g. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1976, art. 23 & 24; International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, 1976, art. 10; Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948). However, the concept of the family environment as the optimal setting for the development of children first appears in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). The Convention recognizes that the “child ….should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding” (preamble). To achieve this objective, the Convention directs governments to provide “necessary protection and assistance” to families so that they can fully assume their responsibilities within the community (preamble). These responsibilities include preparing children to be full participants in society.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life, Clemson University, 225 South Pleasantburg Drive, Suite B 11, 29607, Greenville, SC, USA

    Robin Kimbrough-Melton

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  1. Robin Kimbrough-Melton
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Correspondence to Robin Kimbrough-Melton .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for the Human Rights of Children, Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, N. Sheridan Rd. 1032, Chicago, 60660, Illinois, USA

    James Garbarino

  2. Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, South 1st Avenue 2160, Maywood, 60153, Illinois, USA

    Garry Sigman

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Kimbrough-Melton, R. (2010). The Right to a Family Environment for Children of Prisoners. In: Garbarino, J., Sigman, G. (eds) A Child's Right to a Healthy Environment. The Loyola University Symposium on the Human Rights of Children, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6791-6_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6791-6_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-6789-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-6791-6

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