The dramatic increase in the number of women in prison in this country is a result of changes in criminal justice policy that were intended to 'take a bite out of crime' and wage a 'war on drugs'. The consequences of these policies for women is seldom mentioned and even less is heard about their impact on children.
According to the Department of Justice, 76.4% of the women in State prisons are mothers compared to 59.6% of male prisoners who are fathers . In most cases the children of incarcerated men live with their mothers before, during and after their fathers' incarceration (Johnston, n.d.). When mothers are sent to prison, their children are most likely to live with a grandparent or other relative (75.2%). Consequently, when mothers are sent to prison, children are likely to experience greater disruption than when a father is imprisoned.
Harm & Thompson (1995) found that the majority (84%) of relatives caring for children during their mother's imprisonment experienced major changes in their lives. Problems they encountered included finding child care, lack of transportation for children to visit their mothers, financial set-backs, giving up jobs, and relocating.
Similar findings are reported by Hungerford (1993). While trying to resolve these problems, care givers must contend with their own feelings of anger, guilt and fear about the mother's imprisonment. .
The children that relatives take into their homes may be less than angelic. Children who have been.
exposed to domestic violence, substance abuse, or child abuse/neglect, and separated from their mothers can exhibit behaviors that are difficult to manage.
Maintaining the relationship between children and their incarcerated mother can also be difficult. This can drain minimal financial resources that are already being stretched - especially when relatives live at a great distance from the state's women's prison.
AARP's Grandparent Information Center found that grandparents caring for their children's children face many barriers when they seek help (Mullen, 1995).
Are Prison Reforming or Not! ... Some people question the effectiveness of prisons. ... "I am the mother of a murdered child,"" pleaded Rita when the convicted killer of her 16-year-old son was released after serving only a three-year sentence. ... "For them, prisons are like trade school. ... Of course, not all prisons operate that way. ...
Women prisons have also felt the burden of overcrowding. ... Their prison industry also grows alfalfa and almonds. ... Seventy five to eighty percent of those entering prisons in California are mothers. ... In 1978, the Mother-Infant Care Stature mandated an alternative sentencing option for women with children less than six months of age. ... In all prisons worldwide, medical care is not where it should be. ...
An estimated 72% of the women in prisons had used drugs prior to incarceration. ... More than 50% of these women in prison have children. ... this half the majority are single mothers. (1998, Center for Prison Reform) These factors may be the reason the crime rate among women is growing. ... A mother will submit herself to anything in order to provide for their children. ... A struggling mother will steal from other people in order to feed her children or make a better life for her family. ...
In the article "Incarcerated Mothers" a lot of valid points and strong arguments are made. We learn in the beginning of the article that majority of the women in prison are mothers, and their needs are often neglected. ... Majority of women mothers take care of themselves and abide by the rules simply to get out of prison as soon as possible so that they can see their children. ... Where as mothers have to prove this without expecting support for their mothering role. ... Some women in prison see their children on a regular basis and want to play that mothering, nurturing role for their ki...
The majority of people have a view on prison that simply ends with a criminal being sentenced to prison time, what happens to a so called criminal after that is cared about by a very small number of people. ... I don't actually know if removing the negativity from prisons is entirely possible. ... His motive regardless of how inexcusable that you believe it to be was to obtain money to help prevent his mother from losing their house. ... Rather then this young man being reformed by prison, prison instead created a negative regression of his attitude rather then a positive progression. ...
Prison? ... It is an infamous maximum-security prison, known to be the bloodiest of places. ... He is an African American who faces a life in prison for murder. ... A particularly affective scene in the film is when his mother visits him. ... It gives a completely different angle of prison life to all who view it. ...
Women in Prison I recently had the opportunity to learn about women in prison and how they cope with everyday life. ... The first woman that spoke about prison was Michelle. ... Kati grew up with a dysfunctional family where she seldom saw her father and her mother was a prescription addict. ... She has been attacked many times in prison and soon learned that life in prison is extremely rough. Her father has forgiven her and is now best friends with him, while her mother doesn't share the same feelings. ...
ATTICA PRISON RIOT In 1971, 1,300 prisoners rebelled against their guards and took over the Attica Prison facility in Western New York State. ... There was, in fact, nothing but another huge, foreboding prison. ... In fact, everything had changed -- everything but the prisons. ... Many were mothers as well as wives, and they took the state's offer because Corrections Commissioner Russell Oswald traveled to Attica for a secret meeting with them and promised to take care of them. ... He ordered the state's records on the Attica Prison riot sealed for 50 years. ...
In my opinion, women with young children should not be able to have their infants living in prison with them. ... The dispute is whether the benefits of keeping babies close to their mothers prevail over the risk of prison life. ... Can we provide evidence that allowing mothers to raise their children in prison with them, has a more beneficial result? ... How can they possibly handle adjusting to prison life and caring for a young child? ... Following the mother's return to society, child and mother would get reunited with aftercare pro...