Parents incarcerated at Rikers Island visit kids at Children's Museum of Manhattan
NEW YORK -- It's a one-of-a-kind program that allows parents in custody to spend time with their kids outside a jail setting.
Monday, inmates serving time at Rikers Island got to spend time with their little ones at the Children's Museum of Manhattan.
"These individuals are going to be coming back into their communities and we want them to come back and reintegrate back into their communities better than how they were received in the justice system," said Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina.
Elizabeth Thomlinson, a detainee on Rikers Island for an assault charge, said this was the first time she saw her boys since being locked up.
"I think this is a real good learning experience for me. I needed this," said Thomlinson.
Jayvon Segrede is doing time for robbery.
"A lot of parents, including my child's mother, doesn't want her to see that," said Segrede. "She doesn't want Miracle to see me in a jumpsuit. She doesn't want Miracle to see police officers all around the place and ask questions."
DOC and the museum said the program gives incarcerated parents quality time with their kids in a way that visits on Rikers Island don't allow.
"On Rikers, it's a very structured visit. It's for one hour, they sit across from each other," said Anne Penson, executive director of women's initiatives for DOC.
For two hours, the parents ate lunch with their kids, did arts and crafts, sang together and held each other tight.
"It's very important that children have an opportunity to bond and connect with their parents especially during these very challenging times when families can get really ripped apart," said Leslie Bushara, chief program officer for the Children's Museum of Manhattan.
DOC officials said the program was recently expanded to include male inmates.
