Mothers in prison

[Opinionated]

Amandabub3, babies need love and their mothers. They can get both of those in a jail environment and as an added bonus, their mothers are supported and cared for. Babies in prison are in the mother baby unit, where the other women have babies too. Having their children with them is positive, improves the atmosphere for all, maintains the bond so as the child isn't raised by someone else only to go to a stranger when she is released and is more fair on the baby than wrenching them away to be raised by someone else. Don't forget, they have been bonding with their mother for the whole time in utero, you can't tell me that seperation, even at such a very young age, is not traumatic.

[mimsie]

I have also been told (by criminals not police) that trying to get pregnant if you get caught can lead to lighter sentencing if you succeed, unfortunately I saw quite a few do exactly that I know Sydney has a farm-style jail for women and they have children there for a certain amount of time, maybe Mullawa but I'm not sure exactly of the name

[BbBbBh]

I feel that babies should be with mum and the jailunits set up for mums n bubs allow for the little ones needs: feeding, bonding, physical contact and all the things that babies deserve. For me it's all about the babies needs and if mum and the other inmates benefit from having a baby in prison then thats an added bonus.

[Opinionated]

We all benefit from babies in jail. The babies benefit, the mothers benefit and society benefits because women are more likely to rehabilitate if they and their babies are treated with compassion. Jail isn't meant to be about punishment, but about rehabilitation.

[VicPark]

There are some darned good dads out there. If the father of the child was known, living out of prison and a half decent character... Why should the child live with their mother in prison rather than their dad in the real world?

[Baracuda]

There are some darned good dads out there. If the father of the child was known, living out of prison and a half decent character... Why should the child live with their mother in prison rather than their dad in the real world?

Babies need their mother.

Taking a child from their mother is akin to removing a limb - there needs to be a darn good reason for doing so. Sometimes there's a darn good reason, but mostly, not.

[Opinionated]

How many women in prison are in healthy relationships with the types of men who make great dads? I would guess not many. Also, women in prison don't exactly have much to do, it's not like they have a great career in there or something. Why not raise their child rather than the father who could be working. Doesn't the WHO recommend breast feeding if possible to be the ideal? Unless these great dads can lactate, the child misses out.

[jfblady72]

think its comes down to the best interest of the child...in most cases i would say staying with a mother who wants to and is capable of being a decent mother is preferable. i work with forensic populations and the reasons most women end up in prison is usually complicated and often involves co offending with males, drugs, abuse etc....most of the women i have worked with are desperate to be good mothers and i think more programs would be so worthwhile to help them achieve this.

[Amandabub3]

wow!!! this is ridiculous they are in jail for breaking the law!!! their rights have been taken away for a reason!!! what a silly excuse to say some women are in there for drugs so should get their baby in there wtf???? who would recccomend someone being raised by a rehabilitating druggie? seriously they go through mental and physical issues trying to rehabilitate and if they were preg wtf were they taking drugs for????? serioulsy who cares about the preson in jails feeling i only care about the safety of the innocent child and what when they get older they can tell their own kids hey i was born in a jail and lived there for a fews years???? def not something a kid should have to talk about!!

[atomicmama]

If you have watched the show, part of the process to be accepted into the program is that you didn't have any substance abuse during pregnancy and bub must be born healthy. Also, there is such thing as bail and some of thesr mothers fall pregnant while on bail.

wow!!! this is ridiculous they are in jail for breaking the law!!! their rights have been taken away for a reason!!! what a silly excuse to say some women are in there for drugs so should get their baby in there wtf???? who would recccomend someone being raised by a rehabilitating druggie? seriously they go through mental and physical issues trying to rehabilitate and if they were preg wtf were they taking drugs for????? serioulsy who cares about the preson in jails feeling i only care about the safety of the innocent child and what when they get older they can tell their own kids hey i was born in a jail and lived there for a fews years???? def not something a kid should have to talk about!!