Inmates raising, bonding with their infants

[believe09]

This story has a weird sweetness to it, and is an odd homage to Mother's Day...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080510/ap_on_re_us/babies_behind_bars;_ylt=AkCnLNxrKRGVOnPS7Bx.djJvzwcF

 

[JBean]

I think it is wonderful.

 

[csds703]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. The babies can only stay up until 18 months. What happens next if the mom's sentence is longer. Now the baby has bonded, but is sent away. This is a complicated issue.

 

[Glow]

I like it! It is always best for a baby to be with its mother whenever possible. It seems like this would also give the mothers more incentive to stay with the child and put its best interest first once they are out in society again. It gives them both a chance to be together during those early, critical bonding months. It looks like the statistics are bearing out the wisdom of this plan.

 

[Amraann]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. The babies can only stay up until 18 months. What happens next if the mom's sentence is longer. Now the baby has bonded, but is sent away. This is a complicated issue.

I believe the article said that only women who have less then 18 months remaining on their sentences qualify.

 

[believe09]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. The babies can only stay up until 18 months. What happens next if the mom's sentence is longer. Now the baby has bonded, but is sent away. This is a complicated issue.

They don't choose prisoners whose sentences are longer simply because of your excellent point!

 

[Glow]

These are very interesting times that we are living in. On one hand the government has taken over 400 children, some of them breastfeeding infants away from their mothers and into the foster system.

With the other hand, the state has jailed women for some criminal behavior on their part. Their mothering is being accommodated by the state in recognition of how important it is that the mother child not be seperated.

I just think that is very compelling to think about.

 

[csds703]

I believe the article said that only women who have less then 18 months remaining on their sentences qualify.

They don't choose prisoners whose sentences are longer simply because of your excellent point!

I misread the article. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[JBean]

These are very interesting times that we are living in. On one hand the government has taken over 400 children, some of them breastfeeding infants away from their mothers and into the foster system.

With the other hand, the state has jailed women for some criminal behavior on their part. Their mothering is being accommodated by the state in recognition of how important it is that the mother child not be seperated.

I just think that is very compelling to think about.

Interesting point Glow. I guess it would be important to know what crime these offenders have been convicted of. But if you think about it, the situations are also similar.By that I mean the authorities have control in both situations.

 

[Glow]

I just keep mulling this over in my head. I have to say I am not a fan of bigger and bigger government and I am alert when the "long arm of the law" reaches into the family unit.

This prison program seems like a good one but what you posted above got me thinking....what kind of people/enviroment will the mom be taking the baby into once they are out of prison?

 

[JBean]

I just keep mulling this over in my head. I have to say I am not a fan of bigger and bigger government and I am alert when the "long arm of the law" reaches into the family unit.

This prison program seems like a good one but what you posted above got me thinking....what kind of people/enviroment will the mom be taking the baby into once they are out of prison?

well what got me thinking along the lines you just mentioned was the last statement made by one inmate:

>>That day is coming soon for Lankey, 31, and baby Kevin. Her sentence for violating probation for the bad check she passed is due to run out the first week of June. She and Kevin will join her two daughters, ages 5 and 9, along with Kevin's grandparents and other family members. "Out there it's a little bit more chaotic," Lankey said. "We're enjoying this time right now, we really are."<<

I worry about her being able to operate in the real world. I wonder if it is monitored after they are released in one way or another.
Either which way I think it is genrally wonderful if these moms are going to be the ones to raise their children that they have the opportunity to do so from the start. Perhaps THE supervised situation it is a blessing all the way around.
Not to derail the conversation, but in the case of the FLDS it is more about taking the kids first and asking questions later which is a very differnt scenario.

Happy Mother's Day Glow. I know how important you are to your children and how much they mean to you.

 

[Glow]

Yes, her defining life outside as "chaotic" and life inside as "enjoying" might be a way of saying that life outside is "difficult" for her.

My hope is that long term she will do well statistically. Most of the moms seem to as the article indicated.

Hope you are having a great day with your family also! :blowkiss:

 

[Salem]

I think if they are bonding with the infants, that's a good thing. Child detachment disorder appears to be a very difficult thing to fix and it all begins when the infant does not "bond" and apparently (I'm no psychologist) it wrecks havoc for the child for the rest of its life.

Still.... I must admit the thought of having babies in jail makes me uncomfortable. I just don't like the thought of the "institutional" environmental. I hope they have their own area and can decorate it in a manner that is stimulating to the infants and that they are well away from any areas where there is potential for violence.

Salem

 

[philamena]

IMO the babies should bond with their mother and only be denied the bonding time if the mother is in prison for killing a child.