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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 11:33 pm
Time: 11:33 pm
Results for prison nurseries
9 results foundAuthor: Villanueva, Chandra Kring Title: Mothers, Infants and Imprisonment: A National Look at Prison Nurseries and Community-Based Alternatives Summary: This is the first U.S. national report on prison nursery programs. The report examines the expansion of prison nursery programs across the U.S. These programs allow incarcerated women to keep their newborns with them in prison for a finite period of time. The report also looks at community-based residential parenting programs, which allow women to serve criminal justice sentences with their infants in a non-prison setting. The report finds that the number of prison-based nursery programs is growing, but such programs are still relatively rare. Though every state has seen a dramatic rise in its women’s prison population over the past three decades, only nine states have prison nursery programs in operation or under development. Of the nine prison nursery programs existing or in development, four were created within the last five years. Details: New York: Women's Prison Association, Institute on Women and Criminal Justice, 2009. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www.wpaonline.org/pdf/Mothers%20Infants%20and%20Imprisonment%202009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.wpaonline.org/pdf/Mothers%20Infants%20and%20Imprisonment%202009.pdf Shelf Number: 119685 Keywords: Children of PrisonersCommunity-based CorrectionsFemale InmatesPrison Nurseries |
Author: Albertson, Katherine Title: Tackling Health Inequalities Through Developing Evidence-based Policy and Practice with Childbearing Women in Prison: A Consultation Summary: The overall aim of this consultation was to scope and map the health needs and health care of childbearing women in prison, using the Yorkshire and Humberside region as a case study. In order to approach this we designed consultation exercises to: • Critically examine how prisons interact with health care agencies to meet the needs of childbearing women both inside and outside prison • Obtain the views of key stakeholders around improving practice and tackling barriers to equity of health care for childbearing women in prison • Identify existing good practice in this area • Produce an evidence base to inform future policy development and practice in this area • Use this local pilot work to inform the development of future research in this field This report contains key findings based on consultation data from the following sources: • A brief scoping review • Two Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) practitioner focus groups • Five MBU Manager interviews • Three activities undertaken by a web-based expert panel • A multidisciplinary final event Details: Sheffield, UK: The Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University; York, UK: The Mother and Infant Research Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, 2012. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2012 at: http://yhhiec.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Microsoft-Word-Mothers-in-Prison-Consultation-report-2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://yhhiec.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Microsoft-Word-Mothers-in-Prison-Consultation-report-2012.pdf Shelf Number: 125937 Keywords: Children of PrisonersFemale InmatesFemale Prisoners (U.K.)Pregnant InmatesPrison Health ServicesPrison Nurseries |
Author: Elliott-Hohepa, Andrea Title: Report on Phase Three of the Formative Evaluation of the Mothers with Babies Units Summary: Why was the research of the Mothers with Babies (MWB) Units undertaken? Housing very young children in a prison setting is a challenging and very unusual situation for Corrections staff. The Department sought an independent evaluation of its management of these special units, to provide assurance that everything possible was being done to ensure that the children were safe, that the mothers' and the babies' best interests were being protected, and that the children's developmental needs were being met. What were the main findings? The overall conclusions were that the units have continued to develop, that positive advances have been made, and an underlying "best interests of the child" approach to decision-making was evident: - The report summarised published research on mother with baby programmes in prisons, which consistently shows that mother with baby units do support development of secure attachment in the child and increased parenting skills and maternal sensitivity in the mothers; research also provides some evidence that mothers with baby units can help reduce re-offending - A range of procedural issues were identified as having been addressed to ensure safety and well-being: for example, policies on who can pick up children and take them off-site, and role clarification amongst staff to improve consistency and co-ordination - Further, operational changes were noted to have occurred in order to meet the needs of the units; for example, roster changes to increase staff coverage at MWB units, and making programmes more accessible to mothers - Other issues noted as requiring further attention included having a mix of both male and female staff at MWB units, having dedicated unit staff, the frequency of parenting programmes, instituting alternative caregiver assessments, and shortening wait times for approval to enter the units - Also recommended were further training of new staff, and improved national co-ordination of the units and the ways in which the mothers with babies policy is managed. What is the Department doing in response to these findings? Overall, the Department is confident that its mothers with babies units are being operated in accordance with "best practice" principles. The independent evaluation report supports this view, as well as usefully assisting the Department to further improve its practices to ensure the best outcomes possible for the mothers and babies under its care. The Department has instituted a range of responses to address all of the findings of the evaluation. Many of these were instituted well in advance of the final report being received. Responses include: - A national multi-agency steering group has been formed with representatives from Corrections, Child Youth and Family, NZ Police, Plunket, Ministry of Health and the Office of the Children's Commissioner. This steering group meets quarterly, with the purpose of supporting best practice on site - The national multi-agency steering group is also guiding the development of collaborative practices at the local level in each prison's area: these arrangements will mean that each of the women's prisons will have multi-agency oversight of applications to enter the units, planning the care of the mother and baby, and their transitions back into the community - A National Office-led working group is conducting AVL discussions on a quarterly basis with the women's prison managers, to provide a leadership structure around the development of the units, and to address any issues as they arise - The National Office group is overseeing an action plan that responds to all of the findings from the formative evaluation; this plan is continually updated, and reviewed quarterly - A review is underway of processes for assessing alternative caregivers, to increase confidence in the quality of care of children when spending time in the community. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Department of Corrections, Research & Evaluation Team, 2013. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/700313/Evaluation_of_the_implementation_of_the_Mothers_with_Babies_Policy_final_.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/700313/Evaluation_of_the_implementation_of_the_Mothers_with_Babies_Policy_final_.pdf Shelf Number: 131637 Keywords: Children of Prisoners (New Zealand)Inmates, MothersPrison Nurseries |
Author: Dwyer, James G. Title: Jailing Black Babies Summary: In many situations of family dysfunction stemming from poverty, the interests of parents are in conflict with the interests of their offspring. This presents a dilemma for liberals. We want to mitigate the harsh consequences and suffering that conditions we deem unjust have caused some adults, especially adults of minority race. But we are also concerned about the welfare of children born into impoverished and troubled communities. The predominant liberal response to this dilemma has been to sidestep it by ignoring or denying the conflict and to then take positions aimed at protecting parents' interests, without giving serious attention to the impact on children. The result is a set of liberal polies that effectively imprison black children in dysfunctional families and communities and so ensure that they fall into the inter-generational cycle of poverty, addiction, and criminality. Epitomizing this phenomenon is the fast-growing phenomenon of states' placing newborn children, predominantly of minority race, into prison to live for months or years with their incarcerated mothers. Advocates for incarcerated women, not advocates for children, have promoted prison nurseries, and they have done so with no research support for any hope of positive child welfare outcomes. Conservative legislators and prison officials agree to experiment with such programs when convinced they will reduce recidivism among female convicts, a supposition that also lacks empirical support. Remarkably, states have placed babies in prisons without anyone undertaking an analysis of the constitutionality of doing so. This Article presents a compelling child welfare case against prison nurseries, based on rigorous examination of the available empirical evidence, and it presents the first published analysis of how constitutional and statutory rules governing incarceration and civil commitment apply to housing of children in prisons. It shows that prison nursery programs harm the great majority of children who begin life in them, and it argues that placing infants in prison violates their Fourteenth Amendment substantive and procedural due process rights as well as federal and state legislation prohibiting placement of minors in adult prisons. This Article further challenges liberal family policy more generally. Its final Part describes other policy contexts in which liberal advocacy and scholarship relating to persons who are poor or of minority race consistently favors the interests of adults in this population over the interests of children. It offers a diagnosis of why this occurs, and it explains why this is both morally untenable and ultimately self-defeating for liberals committed to racial equality and social justice. The Article's broader thesis is that liberals bear a large share of the responsibility for perpetuation of blacks' subordination. Details: Williamsburg, VA: William & Mary Law School, 2013. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: William & Mary Law School Research Paper No. 09-239: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2231562 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2231562 Shelf Number: 131875 Keywords: Child WelfareChildren of PrisonersFemale InmatesPrison Nurseries |
Author: O'Keeffe, Caroline Title: Enhancing Care for Childbearing Women and their Babies in Prison Summary: All available research suggests that the struggles of childbearing women in prison are extremely complex. And whilst their babies represent a relatively small proportion of all children affected by maternal imprisonment, they are arguably the neediest and most vulnerable group. This report documents the findings of a collaborative research project, funded by Barrow Cadbury Trust, between Action for Prisoners' and Offenders' Families (APOF) and the Hallam Centre for Community Justice (HCCJ) at Sheffield Hallam University. The project aimed to map current knowledge and research evidence on childbearing women in prison and their babies and to transfer this learning into policy and practice. All women who are pregnant or have a child below the age of eighteen months at the point of entering custody have the opportunity to apply for a place within designated living accommodation within a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU). However, in England, there is a high rate of rejection of MBU applications, MBU places are under-utilised and frequently lie empty across the women's estate. The research identified a range of factors which mitigated against an MBU application including: - women choosing to not reveal their status as mothers to the authorities and making their own 'informal' care arrangements; - women not expecting to receive a custodial sentence at court so are unprepared for making the necessary care arrangements, including MBU application; - women being traumatised when they arrive in prison creating a difficult context in which to absorb information about their child placement options; - the trauma of arrival in prison causing a mother's breast milk to dry up thus having a detrimental impact on the bond with their baby, and making it less likely that they will seek to keep their baby with them; - mothers feeling like they are 'choosing' their baby over their older children who may be living with relatives in the community, should they apply for an MBU place; - women being inadequately informed about the provision available in MBUs and the benefits of residing in one; - some social workers working within a 'pro-separation' model which focuses on finding alternative care for children rather than exploring fully the possibility of MBU placement; - mothers viewing themselves as incapable of effective parenting and their babies as being better off without them; - women may be under pressure from family members to leave their babies in the community. Details: Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam University, Hallam Centre for Community Justice, 2015. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2016 at: https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/hccj/sites/hccj/files/enhancing-care-childbearing-women-babies-prison.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/hccj/sites/hccj/files/enhancing-care-childbearing-women-babies-prison.pdf Shelf Number: 137756 Keywords: Children of PrisonersFemale InmatesFemale Prisoners (U.K.)Pregnant InmatesPrison Health ServicesPrison Nurseries |
Author: Robins, Libby Title: Mother and Baby Prison Units: An Investigative Study Summary: During the period July through to early September 2011, as director of Family Help Trust (FHT) Christchurch and in my capacity as a Winston Churchill Fellowship recipient, I visited six female prisons in the United States of America and four in the United Kingdom. Time spent in each facility varied from two hours in Bedford Hills, New York, through to three days in Coffee Creek, Portland Oregon. In addition, I met with three researchers, (New York, Maryland and Nebraska) and four not for profit organisations (three in New York and one in Stirling, Scotland). I interviewed 25 female offenders, a mixture of currently incarcerated and previously incarcerated, and over 20 staff members between all the prison facilities. The purpose of this investigative research was to bring back information that would benefit a range of agencies including: New Zealand government policy makers, members of parliament, the New Zealand Department of Corrections, the New Zealand Women's Prison Service, researchers, Family Help Trust (FHT), Child Youth and Family (CYF), the Families Commission, the Commission for Children and all New Zealand community agencies involved with the offending population. In 2008 new legislation was passed that allowed infants to remain in two of the three New Zealand prison nurseries until they were two years old (Auckland and Christchurch). The remaining prison (Wellington) was not included in this legislation and is only able to accommodate infants until they are nine months old. Two of the self-care houses at Christchurch Women's Prison (CWP) were 'toddler proofed' and two mother and baby houses were built at Auckland's new women's facility in Wiri in 2011. These units were officially opened by the then Minister of Corrections, Hon Judith Collins, in September 2011. Key points and findings that have emerged from this investigative research are: - New Zealand has been progressive in the style of accommodation provided to mothers and their infants. This models a self-contained motel unit or a small flat or house in the community. - There was only one prison (Cornton Vale's independent living units), that allowed mothers to accompany their infants on outings outside the prison gates. In contrast, New Zealand women's prisons have made significant efforts to normalise the children's experiences as much as possible and both infants and their mothers visit community facilities beyond the wire The evidence available concerning the reductions in reoffending for mothers having benefitted from prison nurseries, when compared to mothers from the general prison population who were not able to keep their infants with them, is compelling, particularly in the United States. Nebraska Women's Facility and Bedford Hills, New York are the two prisons that stood out for their efforts to provide research evidence. It is imperative that New Zealand keeps good data on all mothers who reside and are then released from our mother and baby prison units. This data needs to include community outcomes, albeit this could be considered outside the responsibility of the Department of Corrections for those inmate mothers who are released without parole conditions. New Zealand, because of its size, is in a unique position to research the post-release outcomes for these mothers, and provide comparative research that could include a control group. Using randomisation would, in my opinion, be inappropriate, unless it was mothers who had not been able to reside in nurseries due to lack of capacity. It is important that the issue of community outcomes beyond the reach of Corrections' jurisdiction is addressed to ensure that such information is available for research purposes. In the United States there was no scope to cross-match data interstate and in the United Kingdom there was no research was currently being undertaken on this issue. The only figures I was able to obtain were prison by prison, and data collection methods varied hugely. For mothers without any family support, the concept of trained voluntary doulas (birth companions) is worth considering in New Zealand. Doulas were used comprehensively in both the United States and the United Kingdom and were highly valued by inmate mothers. International mother and baby prison nursery facilities I visited have the throughput that allows them to provide extensive childcare facilities staffed by professional early childhood educators while mothers attend programmes or work within the prison. While New Zealand¡¦s efforts to provide similar is clearly limited by a much smaller number of pregnant inmates, given the gradual rise in female incarceration in New Zealand, together with current harder line sentencing laws, some future proofing needs to be considered. Improving New Zealand prison visiting areas and making them more child friendly such as I found in Bedford Hills and Cornton Vale, would have huge benefits for improving inmate relationships with their children. While support for breastfeeding mothers in the prisons I visited was considered important, mothers being expected to return to their work duties as early as six weeks post-birth did seem out of line with breastfeeding recommendations and maternity protection. Exclusive breastfeeding is generally recommended for six months after birth, and then a continuation of breastfeeding for up to two years or longer if desired, along with suitable complimentary foods. Support for breastfeeding is essential as breastfeeding 'success' for this vulnerable population makes a significant positive contribution to maternal and infant well-being and health, both short and long-term, and to maternal bonding and secure infant attachment. While attempts to limit smoking around pregnant mothers and infants were made in both the United Kingdom and United States mother and infant units, all allowed smoking to some degree. It is of particular interest that as of 1 June 2011, when the New Zealand ban on smoking in prison came into effect, there has been no unrest or riots as might have been expected and which was a significant concern to those prisons I visited. Judges in some states in America routinely sentence a pregnant woman to 366 days in a state prison, allowing her to potentially keep her infant with her in a nursery. A sentence of less than 366 days in a city jail with no nursery will lead to an automatic separation once the infant is born. A prison nursery affords a unique opportunity for a recidivist offending pregnant woman to raise her infant in a 'safe and secure' environment away from her complex and generally violent life in the community. In addition, she receives intensive and ongoing support and parent education that will assist her to attain a secure attachment to her infant, so reducing the probability of further prison terms and her children being removed and raised by the state sector. In the absence of mother and infant alternatives to prison residential facilities, and depending on the seriousness of offending, this option is worthy of serious consideration by the New Zealand judiciary. Bedford Hills New York not only has extensive programmes for both mothers and their infants, but also mothers estranged from older children. In addition, the supported accommodation, employment assistance and general through service given by the Hour Children Charity offered an outstanding opportunity for recidivist women to reverse the probable negative trajectory for both themselves and their children. Nebraska also went to considerable effort to assist mothers estranged from their children with the five nights a month option in the prison nursery as well as the early childhood visiting facilities and playground facilities. in New Zealand, in spite of the problem of whether responsibility lies with the Department of Corrections or Child Youth and Family, the issue of support for mothers and their infants post-release needs to be addressed. This is central to whether or not prison nurseries, both now and in the future, are considered cost effective and can contribute significantly to reducing reoffending. The New Zealand government's view (then Minister of Corrections Hon Judith Collins) when the new units at Christchurch and Auckland Women's Prisons were officially opened in September 2011 was "this is money well spent if it stops the babies becoming criminals". I contend that equal effort and expenditure is essential in the community if recidivism among these mothers is to be successfully reduced. The recently published (April 2012) Commission on Women's Offending (Dame Elish Angiolini commissioned by the Scottish government) makes some important recommendations concerning the establishment of 'one stop shop' community facilities that have both residential beds and day centre programmes for low risk repeat female offenders. The purpose is to address their criminality, mental health and trauma issues as well as alcohol and drug addictions. While there are some residential centres in New Zealand they tend to have limited places and limited resources and they have a single focus e.g. drug and alcohol treatment. Such centres, so long as they catered for children as well, could provide the all-important through centre concept for mothers and their infants from the mother and baby prison units. Dame Elish Angiolini's report was in response to the doubling of the Scottish female rates of incarceration over the previous ten years, now having reached a number very similar to that found in New Zealand. It highlights that in a single year up to 30,000 children will have had a mother or father behind bars, 30 per cent of whom will develop physical and mental health problems and up to half will themselves go on to offend. The cost effectiveness of establishing residential and non-residential centres for female offenders in preference to imprisonment is obvious when compared to the cost of female prison cells in New Zealand. Such centres, together with the through care concept for mothers and their infants returning to the community from the mother and baby units in our female prisons, have the potential to reduce recidivism and ensure better outcomes for mothers, children and families. Details: Wellington: New Zealand Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, 2012. 167p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: www.communitymatters.govt.nz Year: 2012 Country: International URL: www.communitymatters.govt.nz Shelf Number: 138933 Keywords: Children of PrisonersFemale InmatesFemale PrisonersFemale PrisonsPrison Nurseries |
Author: Whiteacre, Kevin Title: Assessing Outcomes for Wee Ones Nursery at the Indiana Women's Prison Summary: The purpose of this study is to assess different outcomes from participating in the Indiana Women's Prison Wee Ones Nursery (WON) program. We compared recidivism rates between women participating in WON (n=90) and women who gave birth while in prison prior to WON (i.e., before 2008) but who would likely have been eligible (n=98). We also conducted follow-up qualitative interviews with a sample of WON participants (n=15) and pre-WON women (n=12). The interviews included open-ended questions as well as a brief survey with closed-ended items comprised of previously validated scales. Based on the findings, we conclude with some possible directions for the future of WON. The study tested four specific hypotheses: H1: WON participants will have lower recidivism rates than women who gave birth in IWP prior to WON. H2: WON participants are more likely to have custody of their child delivered in prison than the control group. H3: WON participants will report greater attachment to their child than the control group. H4: WON participants will report greater parenting self-esteem than the control group. Details: Indianapolis, IN: University of Indianapolis, Community Research Center, 2013. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://www.uindy.edu/documents/Assessing_Outcomes_for_Wee_Ones_Nursery_at_Indiana_Womens_Prison.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.uindy.edu/documents/Assessing_Outcomes_for_Wee_Ones_Nursery_at_Indiana_Womens_Prison.pdf Shelf Number: 138934 Keywords: Children of PrisonersFemale InmatesFemale PrisonersFemale PrisonsPrison Nurseries |
Author: Gat, Irit Title: Incarcerated mothers: Effects of the Mother /Offspring Life Development Program (MOLD) on recidivism, prosocial moral development, empathy, hope, and parent - child attachment Summary: The primary purpose of this two-part quasi-experiment was to examine select rehabilitative benefits of the mother/Offspring Life Development Program (MOLD). MOLD focuses on maintaining the mother-child relationship during the mother's prison sentence at the York Women's Correctional Facility in York, Nebraska. MOLD offers parenting education classes and visitation programs for incarcerated-mothers and their children and a nursery for pregnant inmates. In Part I of the study, archival records were used to investigate the rate of recidivism of MOLD participants between 1990 and 1995. These participants were compared to incarcerated women at the same correctional facility between 1990 and 1995 who did not participate in MOLD. The test for significant differences between proportions revealed no significant differences between the two groups with regard to recidivism rate. Although the trend was in the predicted direction, the power to find significant differences was only 28%. ^ Part II measured pre- to posttest changes in parent/child attachment, prosocial moral development (PROM), empathy (IRI), and hope. For parent-child attachment, the control and Nursery groups scored higher than the MOLD participants. Similarly for the PROM and IRI Perspective-Taking subscale, the control participants scored higher than the MOLD participants. Despite group membership, for all participants, the IRI Empathic Concern subscale scores increased, and the IRI Personal Distress subscale scores decreased. ^ Several possible explanations are discussed. For instance, with regard to confounding variables, it is possible that the effects of MOLD extends to the entire population of women at the York Correctional Facility through a social-cognitive process, such as vicarious learning. or because MOLD participants are self-selected, they may be in greater need for assistance with their parenting skills, thus accounting for lower scores on the dependent variables. In addition, several of the women in the control group had participated in MOLD several years prior to this study. Thus, the skills they originally developed through MOLD, coupled with an extended period of incarceration time, may have given them an opportunity to grow in areas as measured in this study. Details: Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2000. 211p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9976990/ Year: 2000 Country: United States URL: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9976990/ Shelf Number: 138935 Keywords: Children of Prisoners Female Inmates Female Prisoners Female Prisons Prison Nurseries |
Author: Foxen, Emlyn Title: Report on Incarcerated Parents in Oregon: Prison Nurseries and Community-Based Alternatives, Problematic Foster Care Laws, and Parenting Programs for Incarcerated Fathers Summary: Abstract This paper discusses three key policy areas regarding incarcerated mothers and fathers in Oregon: prison nurseries and community-based residential parenting programs; foster care laws; and parenting programs for incarcerated fathers. After reviewing background and best practices associated with policy implementation in each area, this paper explores ways in which policymakers, stakeholders and advocates might address each policy area in Oregon, and suggests the formation of a legislative task force to address these issues. Details: Portland, OR: Oregon Advocacy Commissions, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2019 at: https://www.oregon.gov/women/pdfs/OCFW%20Incarcerated%20Parents%20Report2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl%3A99155 Shelf Number: 154317 Keywords: Community-Based Alternatives Foster Care Incarcerated Fathers Incarcerated Mothers Incarcerated Parents Incarceration Oregon Parenting Programs Prison Nurseries |