This report presents information on the characteristics of parents incarcerated in state or federal prisons. Data were obtained from personal interviews conducted for the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. Findings indicated that a majority of state and federal prisoners were the parents of at least one minor child. Prior to incarceration, 44 percent of fathers and 64 percent of mothers lived with their children. Nearly half of incarcerated parents were black; about a quarter were white. Parents in state prison were younger than those in federal prison. Most parents in state (70 percent) and federal (55 percent) prisons lacked a high school diploma. Forty percent of fathers and 60 percent of mothers in state prison had at least weekly contact with their children. In state prisons, mothers consistently reported more frequent contact with their children than fathers. In federal prisons, mothers and fathers had more similar levels of contact with their children. A majority of incarcerated parents were violent offenders or drug traffickers. A majority of parents in state prison used drugs in the month before their offense. One-third of mothers in state prison committed their crime to obtain drugs or money for drugs. The report also presents information on parents' marital status, expected time served, previous drug and alcohol use, prior convictions and incarcerations, sex differences in type of offenses, mental illness, and previous homelessness. The report's appendix describes the methodology and presents information on the standard errors for selected characteristics of state and federal prisoners with minor children. (KB)