BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) - New research showed having a family member in prison could have life or death implications for children later on in their lives.
A study out of Virginia Tech has found that men 50 years of age and older are twice as likely to have a heart attack if, as a child, they had an incarcerated relative.
Recommended Videos
There are about 2.7 million kids in the U.S. with imprisoned parents.
Pulaski County Social Services director Guy Smith sees the stress this causes families on a regular basis.
Smith said, "They have some issues with abandonment, a difficult time connecting and different types of defiant behavior. Sometimes it's very subtle. We tend to see that it occurs mostly with some of the young men."
Researchers are hoping this data fuels legislative changes for things like sentencing guidelines and reentry programs.