Mothers Caring For Babies in Prison

[Big Guy]

Canada is to expand a program for mothers to care for their children in prison. There was an announcement this week that the mother-child prison program on both the federal and provincial level will be expanded. This month the Correctional Service of Canada is adding 114 minimum security beds to institutions in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

Opponents argue that children should be raised in a safe nurturing environment and that a prison system can not do that. Some are revolted by the idea of a baby learning to crawl around inmates

Proponents argue that “... it’s both better for the mother because they don’t have to go through the grief of having a child taken away, and also better for the child because they need to learn right away that the world is a safe place. Breaking that bond early on can lead to emotional issues in the future.”

Is this program a good idea or a bad idea?

Should it be expanded across Canada?

If mothers are allowed to bring up their babies should fathers also have the same opportunity?

Google “mothers children prison canada” or;

http://knlive.ctvnews.ca/canada-to-expand-program-so-more-mothers-can-care-for-babies-in-prison-1.1830656

and

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/22528-bonding-through-bars-time-to-tear-down-those-walls

Edited May 21, 2014 by Big Guy

[Moonlight Graham]

Opponents argue that children should be raised in a safe nurturing environment and that a prison system can do that. Some are revolted by the idea of a baby learning to crawl around inmates

I think you meant to say "a prison system can't do that".

Article: “Children should be raised in a safe nurturing environment…I don’t believe a prison system can do that. I’m revolted to think that a baby will be learning to crawl around inmates,” said president Grant Wilson.

It's developmentally and psychologically vital that babies and young children are raised in an environment where the mother is safe, secure, and as stress-free as possible. If there's programs like this, IMO the mother can't be in a cell or a normal prison environment. IMO they should be provided with a separate area where proper care can be given.

Women are likely to clean up addiction and other issues when having a child…so we need to support that,” said Alison Granger-Brown to Kevin Newman Live. She worked at different facilities for decades as a recreation therapist. “Quite simply I can say I’ve seen lives change,” she said about women being able to care for their children while incarcerated.

I've seen this happen with my own eyes. I think it's a positive thing, a great step toward rehabilitation for the mother, for her care to for the baby, and if there's no other close caring family members or friends to care for the baby then i'd say there's absolutely no choice but to let the mother care for it.

[Big Guy]

Thank you for pointing out my error - it has been corrected in the OP.

[Bonam]

It's developmentally and psychologically vital that babies and young children are raised in an environment where the mother is safe, secure, and as stress-free as possible. If there's programs like this, IMO the mother can't be in a cell or a normal prison environment. IMO they should be provided with a separate area where proper care can be given.

So the mother needs to be provided with a safe, secure, and stress-free environment. Many mothers in the world outside prison do not find themselves in such environments, living in areas where their safety and security may not be guaranteed, and constantly stressing to make ends meet. Providing an ideal child-raising environment for mothers in prison would probably take $100k+ per mother per year (given that the cost per normal inmate is like what, 80k/year or so?) How many people must be taxed to provide this ideal child-raising environment, while many citizens that have committed no crime on the outside raise their children in far less ideal environments?

This seems an inherently unjust situation. People in prison should be living in a less ideal environment than those not in prison, not the other way around. Of course, the child itself is innocent, but so are all those children of relatively poor parents not in prison, and yet an ideal environment cannot be provided for everyone. Resources are not limitless.

[cybercoma]

Google “mothers children prison canada”

Sorry, could you please provide the link to Google per the forum rules. Thanks.

[Bob Macadoo]

Sorry, could you please provide the link to Google per the forum rules. Thanks.

Nice.....I was going there......got there first.

[Big Guy]

Sorry, could you please provide the link to Google per the forum rules. Thanks.

I apologize. One can reach Google at;

https://www.google.ca/

Apparently I am having difficulty understanding forum rules. A seniors moment. I apologize - or have I already done that?

Edited May 22, 2014 by Big Guy

[Keepitsimple]

Not a bad idea on a case by case basis. Before we go too far, we should understand that most minimum security institutions for women are not actually jail cells - they are more of a residential setting - with either dormitory or separate housing units. Seems like these could be reasonable living accommodations for a mother and child during the first year or two. Here's a link to one of the institutions:

http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/institutions/001002-5001-eng.shtml

[jacee]

Nice.....I was going there......got there first.

Big Guy, they're joshing you.

You are expected to provide a link to a relevant news article, etc.

Edited May 22, 2014 by jacee

[Big Guy]

Big Guy, they're joshing you.

You are expected to provide a link to a relevant news article, etc.

Oh well, my grandchildren do that all the time. Even public access boards have to allow for senior moments - I hope.

Or have I posted that in the past?

[cybercoma]

Big Guy, they're joshing you.

You are expected to provide a link to a relevant news article, etc.

actually, it's more a jab at the people asking for links to current news topics.

[jacee]

actually, it's more a jab at the people asking for links to current news topics.

Oh.

[Big Guy]

Back to tropic.

This may be another issue dealing with the question; Is incarceration a punishment or an opportunity to try to rehabilitate the criminal? In theory, a person deemed to have done a criminal act is placed into a situation where he/she is "forced" to be in control of our correctional system to "correct" their behaviour.

The professionals who support this program feel that having children stay with their mothers in jail is part of a positive rehabilitative process that the correctional system is supposed to follow. The success of the process on the mothers seems to support the project. It is too early to have statistics on the effect on the long term effect on the children.

Personally, I can understand the importance of bonding and security for the child who is born in prison and the potential need for breast feeding etc. I can also understand the theory that a child can be "incarcerated" with its mother for almost 5 years as opposed to non caring alternatives. What I do question is that fathers have no access or ability to take advantage of this new and unique approach to incarceration, child rearing and bonding.

[Moonlight Graham]

So the mother needs to be provided with a safe, secure, and stress-free environment. Many mothers in the world outside prison do not find themselves in such environments, living in areas where their safety and security may not be guaranteed, and constantly stressing to make ends meet. Providing an ideal child-raising environment for mothers in prison would probably take $100k+ per mother per year (given that the cost per normal inmate is like what, 80k/year or so?) How many people must be taxed to provide this ideal child-raising environment, while many citizens that have committed no crime on the outside raise their children in far less ideal environments?

This seems an inherently unjust situation. People in prison should be living in a less ideal environment than those not in prison, not the other way around. Of course, the child itself is innocent, but so are all those children of relatively poor parents not in prison, and yet an ideal environment cannot be provided for everyone. Resources are not limitless.

You don't need an "ideal child-raising environment" to raise a healthy baby in prison, but it has to be at least safe and secure, and having the mother and baby bunking with a drug addict felon while convicts across the hall are yelling profanities at the kid to stop crying probably isn't the way to go.

How many people must be taxed to provide this ideal child-raising environment, while many citizens that have committed no crime on the outside raise their children in far less ideal environments?

Canadians need to do a lot more to provide better support for families and children whose basic needs aren't being met. 40 per cent of all homeless people in Canada are children (but they don't bum for change on the street so people don't know they even exist). About 50 per cent of Canadians who use food banks are children. About 12% of all Canadian children live below the low income cut offs (LICO), which is about $30,000 for a family of 4. If people don't like paying more taxes then they better buck up and donate more to non-profit/charity organizations. There are more than enough resources to deal with these problems.

[TimG]

About 12% of all Canadian children live below the low income cut offs (LICO), which is about $30,000 for a family of 4.

You do realize it is close to mathematically impossible for everyone to be above the LICO and that only 12% of children being below the LICO is a *good* thing? Edited May 24, 2014 by TimG

[monty16]

You don't need an "ideal child-raising environment" to raise a healthy baby in prison, but it has to be at least safe and secure, and having the mother and baby bunking with a drug addict felon while convicts across the hall are yelling profanities at the kid to stop crying probably isn't the way to go.

Canadians need to do a lot more to provide better support for families and children whose basic needs aren't being met. 40 per cent of all homeless people in Canada are children (but they don't bum for change on the street so people don't know they even exist). About 50 per cent of Canadians who use food banks are children. About 12% of all Canadian children live below the low income cut offs (LICO), which is about $30,000 for a family of 4. If people don't like paying more taxes then they better buck up and donate more to non-profit/charity organizations. There are more than enough resources to deal with these problems.

Harper and his goon squad eroding away our social programs to save money so he can cut taxes on those who are the richest. And you're right that Canadians need to do something to save what we have left. Get rid of Harper. No conservative should ever be trusted with a majority government in Canada.

[gunrutz]

Harper and his goon squad eroding away our social programs to save money so he can cut taxes on those who are the richest. And you're right that Canadians need to do something to save what we have left. Get rid of Harper. No conservative should ever be trusted with a majority government in Canada.

You are without doubt the most boring and repetitive poster i have read on this forum.

Edited May 24, 2014 by gunrutz

[Michael Hardner]

You are without doubt the most boring and repetitive poster i have read on this forum.

Your opinion on other posters doesn't matter. As long as they're posting within the rules then your task is either to engage with their arguments or ignore and move on.