Family Interrupted

location 709 West Dauphin Street
Neighborhood
North Philadelphia
completion date
June 01, 2012

One in every 28 U.S. children—or 2.7 million—has a parent behind bars and 23% of students with incarcerated parents are expelled from school, compared to 4% for the general population.

- 2010 PewResearchCenter Economic Mobility Project study: Collateral Costs: Incarceration’s effect on Economic Mobility

Mural Dedication. Photo by Steve Weinik.

About the Project

For many, the justice system is a one-way street, where loved ones are locked away, serving time in isolation without outlets to express their emotions, offer regrets, or make amends to the communities and families they have harmed.

Family Interrupted sparks a dialogue around the impact of incarceration on families and the community at large through the mural-making process. We transformed a wall on Dauphin Street in North Philadelphia, creating a work designed by muralist Eric Okdeh, with input from inmates, probationers, and ex-inmates, including the State Correctional Institution at Graterford, Philadelphia Prison System, adjudicated youth, and community and family members.

Mailboxes. Photo by Mural Arts Staff.

Interactive Mailboxes

Colorfully painted mailboxes were placed in pre-selected locations in affected neighborhoods and visiting rooms of prisons and juvenile facilities. The mailboxes contained practical information about the impact of incarceration on families and communities, and gave people the opportunity to send messages from inmates, community members, policymakers, and others. These messages were used in the mural and on the project’s website.

Visit the Family Interrupted Website