Mothers in Prison

Men and women are equally liable for prosecution and eventual imprisonment for commitment of felonies. However, society fails to understand the varying needs and problems, which the women experience in the prisons. Hence, it is paramount for legal legislation for enabling consideration in terms of situations of women in prison. Specifically women with children or are pregnant are not catered for adequately. Prisons were not designed for women given that less than 4% of prisoners around the world are women (Bastick, & Townhead, 2008).

Women’s physical, mental and emotional needs are different from those of their male counterparts. Prisons are inadequate in the provision of services specifically such as maternity. Hence, it is extremely difficult for prisons to provide adequate post-natal and pre-natal care for mothers who are either expectant or have already delivered newborns. In addition, due to the various needs of women and reasons, which led to imprisonment of women, may not be provided for by prison facilities. In addition other also exhibit mental instability, anger management problems psychological problems, instability, and abuse, sexually or physically form their prisons counterparts or even the prison staff. Hence, prisons for expectant women as well as mothers are not ideal places for them and specifically for their children who witnesses immoral issues within these prisons at tender ages (Bastick, & Townhead, 2008).

In addition, prisons are usually termed as having low hygiene levels given the required levels of feminine hygiene, making them inadequate for women to inhabit them. In addition, women require special hygiene products, which at times vary from one woman to another given the differences in terms of genetic makeup of women. Hence, given the limited prison resources prisons are unable to cater adequately for the diverse feminine needs of women housed in prisons. Furthermore, the rigorous security procedures and routines in prisons are unfavorable for the female population given that prisons were instituted for the male population, which constitutes the larger 90% of prisoner populations around the world (Townhead, 2006).

There is prevalent urgency around the world for authorities in their respective states to address the conditions of women’s prisons. This is because of the increasing numbers of women prisoners, which could be attributable to changes in regulations, and laws, which were lenient for the women. Increase in the number of women prisoners is attributable to the increase in poverty in the world, which affects women directly. This leads to inability to pay fines or bail for offences, which could be termed as petty. In addition, women in prisons are usually form vulnerable segments of the society. Furthermore, this is also attributable to punishment of crimes, which were punished via non-custodial decrees.

Modern prisons are not ideal for the female population because they were solely intended for the male populace. In addition, these individuals should be treated with adequate respect in terms of their rights as humans. As the Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations, all individuals should be treated with adequate humanity and with respect and dignity as human beings. Modern prison should also facilitate for practice of any religion, thus guaranteeing the freedom of religion (Women in Prison Project Group, 2007). These prisons should also avail the ability for women to practice and observe their individual religions and cultural practice when necessary. Thus, they should also be provided with clothing, which enables them to abide with cultural needs such as veils for Muslims and other conservative practices in different cultures and religions.

The United Nations considers that all female and male prisoners should be subjected to equality in terms of treatment within prisons. Basic principles provide that individuals should be subjected to rules and regulations without any impartiality. Hence, individuals “shall not be discriminated against on grounds of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status” (Bastick & Townhead, 2008).

Furthermore, it is also provided for by these principles that individuals shall have their individual moral precepts and religious beliefs respected by the prison administration as well as the facilities provided for by the authorities. Mothers and other women usually have their rights violated against in numerous prison facilities around the world. Some facilities provided in developed countries could be considered as sufficient for housing women and catering for the extensive needs in all aspects.

However, these women are subjected to discrimination in numerous aspects. Initial discrimination against women is instigated during trail where women are subjected to biased decisions during pretrial decisions which is usually based on the notion that women are inferior to men. In addition, in society women discrimination is also enhanced by the presence of inequality in opportunities such as employment and education. In non-developed countries, women are subjected to discrimination, which is embedded in cultural beliefs, which consider that women are inferior in comparison to their male counterparts (Poehlmann, (2003).

On the other hand, women in developed countries where women are given care, they encounter discrimination, which at times is not perpetrated by the prisons’ authorities, but it emanates from the prison system, which was initially intended for men. This is because women, due to their smaller numbers are confined in facilities, which are inadequate for their gender given their roles in the social settings. Hence, they tend to suffer more social and family dislocation in comparison to their male counterparts in prisons. In addition, this is also attributable to over-classification and under classification of women prisoners. Hence, this results in inadequate attention to the needs, plights and conditions of women in prison facilities.

Women with children in prison facilities are usually subjected and specifically their children to unwarranted inhuman e conditions and discrimination. Children of incarcerated mothers usually endure public ridicule and discrimination. This is merely due to associations of children as criminals or felons like their mothers. They are subjected to unique difficulties especially in their developmental stages up to adulthood. In some instances children are usually separated from their children whereas others who are about to deliver are given the chance to do so under tight surveillance from the prison authorities (Parke, & Stewart, 2002).

Children are usually the most vulnerable after having their mother incarcerated. Such has numerous effects of the child as well as the society as whole. Children who are separated from their parents due to offences committed by their parents usually exhibit unsociable behavior with those around them .this is because they view the society as unjust for taking their caregivers away form them. In addition, they also lack adequate attention and care form their parent making them “cold” or hostile towards those around them. This could eventually become devastating as they tend to become violent in an effort to vent out their anger towards the society and those they feel as responsible for the incarceration of their parents (Simmons, 2002).

Delinquency is one of the biggest effects from the incarceration of mothers, which leads to eventual separation of children, all of which can be attributed to emotional withdrawal and anger towards the society. Mothers in prisons find themselves incarcerated for various reasons. Statistics indicate that drug use among mothers leads to repeated incarceration it is also indicated than the numbers of women incarcerated for drug use is higher than that of men who are usually incarcerated for violent crimes. Furthermore, women are also subjected to unwarranted security classification leading to limitations in terms of their parameters of liberty. This is because prisons operate with respect to their rules and regulations, which influence the parameters of liberties of prisoners. Such influences the rights and access to liberties such as visits and conjugal rights, leave from prisons, and access to work programs and the type of work programs (Mauer, Potler, & Wolf, 2000).

Classification of women tends to limit their liberties because they are held in prisons, which have classifications of security that were not formulated for female prisons. Furthermore, the numbers of male and female prisoners are different. Given the sharp increases in the numbers of female prisoners, prisons are unable to handle these increases. However, as for the male prisons, they tend to accommodate male prisoners given the gradual but forecasted numbers of male prisoners (Douglas, & Walsh. 2009).

Mothers who are with children in some prisons around the world are usually classified under very strict security, which is unwarranted given the presence of children. Such breeds hate among the children for the authorities who view prisons as means of torturing the women and society. Some women exhibit mental and psychological disorders, which in the view of the authorities necessitates strict and maximum-security incarceration. Such is a false notion as this aggravates the mental and psychological situations in the prisons given the individual isolation, which the mentally ailing prisoners are subjected to by the authorities.

In conclusion, it is paramount to understand the conditions of women’s prisons in relation to their feminine needs. This is paramount for revaluation of female prisons for eventual restructuring of the physical and legal aspects of the conditions of prisons. This would alleviate the limitations in terms of problems associated with women prisons thus enabling adequate rehabilitation of mothers. In addition, as mothers, women should be given special consideration and specifically for their children.

References

Bastick, M. & Townhead, L. (June 2008). “Women In Prison: A Commentary on the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners” Human Rights & Refugees Publications. Geneva: Quaker United Nations Office.

Douglas, H. & Walsh. T. (2009). “Mothers and the Child Protection System” International

Journal of Law, Policy and the Family.

Parke, R & Stewart, A. C. (2002). “Effects of Incarceration on Young Children.” United States

Department of Health and Human Services.

Mauer, M., Potler, C. & Wolf, R. (2000). “The Impact of the Drug Wars on Women: A Comparative Analysis in Three States,” Women, Girls & Criminal Justice.

Poehlmann, J. (2003, October). “New study shows children of incarcerated mothers experience multiple challenges.” Family Matters: A Family Impact Seminar Newsletter for Wisconsin Policymakers, 3(2).

Sarri, R. (2001). “Children of Incarcerated Mothers” Michigan Family Impact Seminars, 12(4), pp15-20.

Seymour, C. (1996). “Children with Parents in Prison: Child Welfare Policy, Program, and Practice Issues” Child Welfare, Special Issue, Children with Parents in Prison: Child Welfare League of America, p. 472.

Simmons, W. C. (2002). “Children of Incarcerated Parents” California Research Bureau.

Townhead, L. (2006). “Women in Prison & Children of Imprisoned Mothers: Recent Developments in the United Nations Human Rights System” Quaker United Nations Office.

Women in Prison Project Group. (2007). “Women in Prison and the Children of Imprisoned Mothers” A Briefing for Friends.pp3-25.