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Results for children of prisoners (south africa)

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Author: Schoeman, Marelize

Title: The Influence of Imprisonment on Infants and Young Children Incarcerated with their Mothers

Summary: Deprivation of liberty due to incarceration is a controversial and sensitive issue because of the impact it has on the perpetrators’ life as well as the lives of their family members. This controversy is the result of the conflict that exists between criminal law policy and the fundamental human rights of perpetrators of the law. Zermatten states that there are scarcely any situations where so many human rights are violated as during imprisonment. This becomes even more complicated and sensitive when pregnant women or mothers of infants and young children are incarcerated. Incarcerated mothers, in the absence of the necessary information regarding available placement options for their children, often feel compelled to keep their infants and young children with them in prison. Imprisoned women also quickly realise that they receive more privileges if their children remain with then during their incarceration. Opinions vary whether this is in the best interest of a young child. The most popular point of view is that imprisonment of a small dependant child with its mother has an adverse effect on the child’s survival, health, development as well as psychological and emotional well-being. According to research, this is mainly due to the negative environmental and social factors associated with a prison environment. In contrast with this opinion the importance of the formation of an emotional bond between a child and its primary caregiver, usually the mother, are emphasised. Findings from research indicate that a child could suffer devastating effects and emotional scaring if it is separated for an extended period of time during childhood from its caregiver. Limited research has been done in South Africa to explore the impact of a child’s imprisonment with its mother on such a child as well as the impact of forced separation between a mother and a child due to the mother’s incarceration.

Details: South Africa: National Institute for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders (NICRO), 2009. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 7, 2013 at: http://www.nicro.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Babies-behind-bars-summary.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: South Africa

URL: http://www.nicro.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Babies-behind-bars-summary.pdf

Shelf Number: 127857

Keywords:
Children of Prisoners (South Africa)
Families of Inmates
Pregnant Inmates