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KYW News Radio - November 15 , 2008

New Policy Outlaws Shackling of Women Prisoners During Birth

Kim Glovas

KYW Reporter

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First clip

The Federal government recently introduced a new policy which outlaws the shackling of female prisoners giving birth. It turns out Philadelphia implemented a similar pilot policy in June. KYW's Kim Glovas has more:

"The Maternity Care Coalition is the agency which pressed the Philadelphia prison system to look at this draconian policy of shackling women prisoners during birth. Deputy director Bette Beglieter says the coalition worked with the prison system to make the change.

'Now we have rules that say once a woman is in active labor, there are no restraints on her, and in fact after she has the baby, we're able to keep them off for a short time, so she can bond with the baby, so she can breastfeed, so we are very happy about this change.'

In addition, the coalition is providing doulas, women who assist the inmate mothers after birth. The coalition also follows the mothers back into the community, upon their release from prison, and help them in the nurturing and caring of their infants."

Second clip

In early October, the federal government finally removed a policy which called for pregnant female inmates to be shackled while in labor. But The Philadelphia prison system had them beat. The local system lifted the shackling policy in June. KYW's Kim Glovas has more:

"No one can recall when that shackling policy began, but officials for the prison system and advocates for inmates, say it seems like forever. But that's changed, according to Bette Beglieter, deputy director of the Maternity Care Council.

'Any of us who have had children have said, ya know, where do they expect her to go? But it's been a practice, and it's a practice throughout the country, there are only three states that actually outlaw this practice. And we'd like to see that change in Pennsylvania as well, but we think that Philadelphia has really taken a very, very progressive step.'

Her agency provides "doulas" or support women , who work with pregnant inmates before, during and after birth, and also help with the transition back into the community. Beglieter says the idea is to help these women create healthy nurturing families, and prevent a return to prison."