Arizona State University is hosting a four-day national conference in downtown Phoenix to discuss children of incarcerated parents. Officials say 13 percent of Arizona children are in that boat.

ASU professor Judy Krysik is the director of the school’s Center for Child Well Being, which is putting on the event.

She said the problem is multi-fold.

"It could be the loss of a major breadwinner for the family and they might even lose their home and have to move and change schools, so that's one problem," she said.

Krysik said another problem is the stigma that comes with having an incarcerated parent, because children feel people may look down on them.

She said a key part of the conference will be examining existing programs around the country, and discussing how those programs are working.