ECI Hosts Father-Child Dance to Help Reduce Recidivism

Somerset County, MD - A special event is coming to the Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover, Maryland. On Sunday, June 14, 2026, incarcerated fathers and their children will share an afternoon together at a Father-Child Dance from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The event is being organized by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, also known as DPSCS. The organization Fathers Forward is also partnering with the department to make the event happen.

Not every incarcerated father at ECI will be allowed to take part. To qualify, participants at the ECI Annex must have completed cognitive programming centered on fatherhood and family responsibility. They also must have kept a clean behavior record while actively taking part in those programs.

The event is about more than just a dance. It is part of a larger effort by DPSCS to help incarcerated individuals successfully return to their communities and maintain the family connections that can help keep them on the right path after release.

This is not the first event of its kind. A similar Father-Child Dance was recently held at Jessup Correctional Institution, and it drew attention to just how much family involvement can matter during incarceration.

Research backs that up. According to a study highlighted by the Prison Policy Initiative, incarcerated people who received visits had 13% lower felony reconviction rates than those who did not receive visits and had their parole revoked 25% less.

The DPSCS 2025 Recidivism Report also found that a successful transition out of incarceration depends heavily on stability, access to resources, housing, and employment.