BABIES BEHIND BARS: Why It Works

An inmate giving birth is almost an everyday occurrence in California. This year more than 300 babies are expected to be born to women incarcerated by the state, and at any given time, about one in 10 of the state's female inmates is pregnant. California holds the largest prison nursery in the nation. (1)

New York was the first nursery prison to open its doors in 1902. Until 1994, when Nebraska followed suit, it was the exception. Seven more have now jumped on board, and Texas and Kansas are now pondering whether they should or not. (2)

Arguments FOR prison nurseries:

• Lack of sufficient medical care available to the pregnant inmates;
• No special diet available for the pregnant inmates;
• Pregnant inmates being denied necessary exercise;
• Inappropriate work assignments being forced on pregnant inmates;
• Drug and alcohol addicted pregnant inmates dealing with withdrawal symptoms without consideration for the fetus;
• Female inmates being immediately separated from their newborn child;
• Failure to transfer a pregnant inmate in labor to the hospital in a timely manner; and
• Newborns and other children being placed in foster care where incarcerated parents can lose their parental rights

States who don't want to adopt these prison nursery programs debate the following:

• Security risks for the children;
• Management problems;
• Liability insurance for the children in the facility;
• Medical treatment and costs of treatment for the children in the facility;
  Adverse effects of prison on normal childhood development;
• Determination of who has final authority to decide whether an infant can stay with the mother in prison;
• Determination of how pregnant inmates within the county jail setting should be treated and whether the jail inmates can be treated differently from the prison inmates; and
• The incarcerated mother may not be interested in being a good mother

Typically, a new mother that's incarcerated is lucky to spend two days with their newborn before family members-or worse, Child Protective Services, whisk the baby away. It is estimated that 1 out of ten babies born in prison go to foster care, while most stay with family.

When one considers that women prisoners are statistically much less prone to violence, more likely to have been victims of sexual abuse, and much more likely to be the sole parent to their children, the startling statistics are bleak. (3)

Male guards are now required not to perform pat down searched on women in labor, only female guards, which has improved the circumstance significantly.

By January, qualifying inmates in Californian prisons -- those set to go on parole in 12 to 18 months and deemed no risk to children -- will share a private room with their newborns and participate in parenting classes and rehabilitation before both leave together. The babies can't be older than 18 months and be in the program. Once they reach that age, the baby must be removed from the inmate, or the inmate discharges at an already predetermined date (that is not premature due to having a child).

It has been determined by experts that babies don't understand that they are in prison, only that they are in their mother's arms. It's after a year old or so that they become to realize that, they are in a confining place that they can't enjoy being a typical child.

Many of the babies needs like diapers, clothing, and milk are donated by charities, not funded through the taxpayers. (See photos). and (other photos)

Nannies, an inmates cell mate or other inmate with child rearing experience, take care of the child while the mother works in the prison to pay for some of the necessities of the child. The nanny typically makes $1.30 a day. Considering what people around the world in developing countries make, that's good!

Inmates in the woodworking class make furniture for the baby, like a crib.

Often these nurseries within prison walls are made to look more "homey" which many experts argue send a wrong message about being tough on convicted felons. However, a well-respected research study in Nebraska found that only 17% of female convicts' recidivate if they are allowed to raise their babies in prison compared to the 50% who didn't. It was also interesting to note that it only cost $13 a day per baby to run a prison nursery, versus the $75 a day per inmate of running a prison (which really adds up). When you throw in child rearing classes that prevent senseless infanticide; prevents "garbage dump babies"; state and national costs to employ CPS and other workers to oversee the failing foster care system; and find homes for severely neglected, abused, and physically altered children; you can see where the state's actually profit from prison nurseries.

In Mexico, as is the case around the world, there are other prison programs touting the prison nursery successes. In the Santa Martha Acatitla prison in Mexico City, 50 children live inside the barbed wired fenced walls with their moms. These women, like the rest of their fellow inmates, are serving sentences for murder, drug dealing and kidnapping.

The children in the Mexican prison are allowed to stay with their mothers until the age of six. Formal education begins at that time, and there are simply no resources available to teach these children and give them the appropriate security necessary as a group within the prison setting. Then they face the harsher reality of the foster system almost always.

Children in the Mexican prison, unlike in America, walk around freely among harden female criminals that are sometimes violent and cause security problems despite children being nearby. If a female convict does become a behavioral issue, the children can be taken away from the mother temporarily or permanently.

These children do not know anything about the life outside those prison walls. They do not know much, if any, about their families or loved ones on the outside either. They have a very limited idea of what life is about beyond those hollowed halls.

Children in prison do have small birthdays, but friendships with other inmates' children are very limited and unlikely to form ( as in the case of American prisons). That is because the inmate and her child live a large part of their time confined to a cell.

For those who worry about babies in prison, the Illinois Department of Corrections says it reduces the number of re-offenders and helps the children stop the cycle. The expectant mothers in prisons across the nation get good prenatal care and professional birthing facilities. Breaking bonds between incarcerated moms and babies most often creates a new generation of inmates.

Copyright Asher Kade 2009