What Life Is Like For Children Who Are Raised In Prison

Are These Moms Adequate Parents? Viewpoints Are Split

Some think these women should give their kids up for adoption. James Dwyer, a law professor at the College of William & Mary wrote a paper on the topic. He explained: “The focus should be on what’s best for the baby. There is skepticism about these women being adequate parents.” Still others, such as Columbia University researcher Mary Byrne, says kids form crucial attachments to their mothers and kids raised in jail are like other babies: “Many people would assume any exposure to prison would cause problems … they’ll be exposed to violence and horrible people, it will scar them. But that’s not what we found.”