What Life Is Like For Children Who Are Raised In Prison

The Thinking Used To Be That Serving Time With One’s Baby Wasn’t Punishment

There used to be more nurseries within prisons in the past, but things changed in the 1980s as the numbers of prisoners increased dramatically, according to Bedford Hills former superintendent Elaine Lord. Many believed living with one’s baby wasn’t punishment. Then things started to change around the year 2000. But each prison has different rules. The Indiana Women’s Prison has a nursery that allows 10 mother-infant pairs to stay together for up to 18 months. In Washington state, moms are allowed to keep their children for three years. In South Dakota, babies can only stay with their moms for 30 days.