RUNNING HEAD: STRUGGLES OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS

The Struggle of Women Behind Bars

Gina Marie Lopez

University of Texas at El Paso

Professor Tafari Nugent

RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 2

Abstract

The idea of women in prison is something many people dont tend to take seriously.

The number and portion of women incarcerated has greatly increased for the past decades. Most

woman who are incarcerated are mothers or mothers to be. It is still not fully understood how

woman deal with pregnancies and how mothers fulfill their parenting roles. Women in prison are

at greater risk to face metal disordered due to pregnancies. Those women who are pregnant also

receive minimal education about childbirth and when they do give birth they have physical

restrictions.
RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 3

The Struggle of Women Behind Bars

The number of women in Americas prison is soaring, up 400 percent in the past 30 years.

The United States has more female inmates than any other country in the world and pregnancy

rates are higher than ever before. Most of these women dont know they are pregnant when they

receive their sentence. Women in prison arent taken seriously and the harsh situations they face.

They are separated from their children if they arent with a family member and their parenting

roles are now challenged. Those women who are pregnant only receive minimal education about

childbirth and when they are giving birth they have to obey the physical restrictions. According

to The Sentencing Project's report, one in 25 women in state prisons and one in 33 in federal

prisons are pregnant when they're first incarcerated, and these women often don't receive the

medical care and education expecting mothers desperately need (Facts, 2015). Despite strong

evidence of danger to mother and child, 13 U.S. states allow in discriminate shackling of

incarcerated woman and adolescents during pregnancy, labor, and recovery, even though the vast

majority are incarcerated for nonviolent offenses. The majority of the people who dont know of

anyone in prison are poorly informed of their conditions. In doing so, four important questions

need to be considered:

1. Are women in prison more at risk to postpartum mental disorders?

2. What kind of childbirth education do they receive?

3. What are the physical restriction women facing while giving birth in prison?

4. What is the current situation with mothers in prison?

The following review on literature will: Review the daily struggles physically and mentally

women face in prison while being pregnant and the current situation of those struggles.
RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 4

Are women in prison more at risk to postpartum mental disorders?

Women in the United States who are not in prison experience postpartum depression

within 3 months of giving birth. The lack of attention to postpartum mental health issues has

serious consequences. Incarcerated women are at higher risk for postpartum depression and

psychosis owing to their high frequency of underlying mental health disorders and the

emotional trauma of being separated from their newborns. Nonetheless, screenings for

postpartum physical and psychiatric complications often are not routinely performed for

women who deliver while in custody and for women who enter custody and have recently

given birth due to the lack of funds and understanding of severity. Motherinfant attachment

is crucial for the infants psychological development and the mothers mental health,

especially in the immediate postpartum period. However, most women who give birth while

in custody are forced to separate from their infants soon after birth (Womens Health care in

correctional settings, 2015). Several correctional facilities have instituted nursery programs

that allow the infant to live with the mother in a specially supervised wing, with parenting

support for the inmate. Those kinds of programs have been shown to improve womens

feelings of attachment to their children, and to reduce recidivism; one study found that 86%

of women in a prison nursery program remained in the community 3 years after release. It is

well known that people who are incarcerated have higher rates of mental health diagnoses

than the general population. As reported in a 2006 Department of Justice study, the

comparative prevalence of mental health problems in jail was 75% for women, in state prison

73% vs. 55%, and in federal prison 61% vs. 44% (James & Glaze, 2006). A study of Texas

inmates found that 10% of women had major depressive disorder and 5.7% had bipolar

disorder (Baillargeon et al., 2009). These women are so susceptible to mental health
RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 5

disorders not only because of the setting but past histories come into play as well. Not having

a support system also can be a factor. Women in prison, pregnant or not, face considerable

health risks before, during and after incarceration. There is a study looking at health risks that

pregnant women and their babies face in prison to find opportunities, in policies or the

development of new programs, to improve their health and well-being. Only a handful of

studies have examined outcomes among infants born to incarcerated mothers, finding mixed

effects. Pregnant women in prison are exposed to many stressors that could harm them and

their fetuses, such as social isolation, psychological stress, overcrowding and communicable

diseases. Managing these disorders can be a challenge but more of a challenge in some

correctional facilities because of their limitations but it must be address in a responsible way

to prevent self-harm (Shlafer, 2016).

Figure 1. Olga Ortiz, 55, holds 11- month-old Axel after visiting the babys mother at California

Institute for Women state prison in Chino, California, May 5, 2012. Axel was separated from his

mother Norma Ortiz, at birth. Developed by The Conversation. 2016. Retrieved from

http://theconversation.com/pregnant-in-prison-and-facing-health-risks-prenatal-care-for-

incarcerated-women-45034
RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 6

What kind of Childbirth Education do they receive?

Young women who are incarcerated and dont know about their pregnancy

generally lack the education. The women must be prepared to know the basics of giving

birth and having a child. Many of these mothers have high-risk pregnancies due to the

economic and social problems that led them to be incarcerated: poverty, lack of

education, inadequate health care, and substance abuse. In prisons and jails across the

United States there are parents serving time for the crimes they committed whose

children face hardship and developmental risks as a consequence. Childbirth education

classes are available for pregnant prisoners. There are group therapy sessions in

Parenting, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, Prenatal Care, Childbirth, and

Postpartum. A childbirth educator also goes to the hospital after delivery to check on the

women. Many programs are available but only in certain prisons. Volunteers like the

Lamaze educators and doulas have the opportunity to replicate model programs that

provide these women and their children with support, information, and empowering

affirmation that improve parenting outcomes and decrease recidivism ( Prison and Birth,

2015). Education is crucial for an expecting mother but many facilities dont have the

money or resources to provide it for the inmates.

RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 7

What are the physical restrictions women facing while giving birth in prison?

When women are getting ready to give birth it is a stressful moment. They are

forced to give birth by themselves and family members arent allowed in the room.

Despite the fact that these women are in tremendous pain they must be shackles. Their

bellies, arms and legs have chains to prevent them from harming the baby. There has

been strong evidence of the danger to the mother and child restraining does. 13 U.S.

States allow discriminate shackling of incarcerated women and adolescents during

pregnancy, labor and recovery, even though the majority of the inmates are in for

nonviolent offenses (American Psychological Association, 2015). If restraint is

necessary, it should be done by the least restrictive means necessary and in a way that

lessens hostile clinical consequences. Abdominal restraints that directly constrict the area

of pregnancy should not be used. Wrist restraints, if used, should be applied in such a

way that the pregnant inmate may be able to protect herself and the fetus in the event of a

forward fall. Pregnant inmates should not be placed in a facedown position or in four-

point restraint. Leg and ankle restraints should not be used because they increase the risk

of a forward fall. Pregnant inmates should not be chained to other inmates (Restraint of

Pregnant Inmates,2105). Restraints should be avoided if possible during this period,

because labor and delivery can result in exhaustion, dehydration, difficulty in urination or

defecation, and complications such as hemorrhage. Necessary bed rest and rapid response

to medical emergencies should also be taken into account, particularly for cesarean

section births. Out of all the states that use physical restraints only two have addressed

the issues. Illinois and California both have the same justifications for shackling policies

as well as the Constitutional and human rights arguments that have been posed by
RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 8

inmates and their advocates for eliminating the use of physical restraints during

pregnancy and childbirth (Legal Implications of Shackling Female Inmates during

Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2008).

What is the current situation with mothers in prison?

The United States has recently come to its senses and begun dialing back on the number

of male prisoners. But they have continued to increase the number of women behind bars; two-

thirds of women in state prisons are there for nonviolent offenses. America now incarcerates

eight times as many women as in 1980, and only Thailand seems to imprison women at a higher

rate. And the situation may well worsen under the Trump administration; the president-elects

nominee for attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has in effect defended mass incarceration (Mothers

in Prison, 2016). Recidivism is high, and imprisonment breaks up and ruins families. A newly

published study from the Russell Sage Foundation found that incarceration of a family member

is associated with a 64 percent decline in household assets, magnifying poverty and the race gap

in America. American Children who have a parent in prison or jail pay an enormous price.

Individuals are working with prisons today to create programs where numbers of women in

prison could reduce. Giving these women a successful life after prison and helping them restart

their lives with their children.

RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 9

Figure 2. The figure shows a woman with the name Hunter who was incarcerated. Hunter

completed her sentence to go to her children but the bond was broken she would seek for drugs

and return to prison. Developed by the New York Times. 2016. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/sunday/mothers-in-prison.html

Interview

Officer Sullivan gave a little insight of how it is to deal with a pregnant woman who is

being arrested. They are always very resistant and protective of their bellies because they feel

threated, it can be very difficult for a male because they feel attacked. Officer Sullivan had

encountered many situations with pregnant women in and out of El Paso. Throughout his years

of service, he has developed better skills to deal with these kinds of situations. He hopes to

educate the public more on the statistics of women arrested and incarcerated.

Conclusion

Women in prison face daily struggles pregnant or not. For those who are pregnant being

in prison is double the worry, for their health and the life they are creating. Pregnant women not

only are exposed to mental disorders because of the separation form their child right after birth
RUNNING HEAD: THE STUGGLE OF WOMEN BEHIND BARS 10

but having to be restraint with shackles all over their body during labor. Having to go through all

of that women still dont know what to expect or do about a babe because they didnt receive the

right education about child birth. The number of incarcerated women to this day keeps increasing

by the year and not much is seen to be change with the current administration. Women will

continue to face the daily struggle behind bars.

Alexander , A. (2015, December 14). Why Children With Parents in Prison Are Especially
Burdened. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/12/why-children-with-parents-in-
prison-are-especially-burdened/433638/

Kristof, N. (2016, November 25). Mothers in Prison. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/sunday/mothers-in-prison.html

Aspinwall, C. (2016, June 22). Overlooked. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from

https://interactives.dallasnews.com/2017/overlooked/

N. (2014, October 19). Women's Health Care in Correctional Settings. Retrieved October 5,
2017, from
http://www.ncchc.org/filebin/Positions/Womens_Health_Care_in_Correctional_Settings.
pdf

Schoenly, L. (2014, March 18). Caring for Women in Prison: Postpartum Depression. Retrieved
October 5, 2107, from
https://essentialsofcorrectionalnursing.com/2014/03/18/caring-for-women-in-prison-
postpartum-depression/

Shlafer, R. (2016, February 19). Pregnant, in Prison and facing health risks: prenatal care for
incarcerated women . Retrieved October 5, 2017, from
http://theconversation.com/pregnant-in-prison-and-facing-health-risks-prenatal-care-for-
incarcerated-women-45034

Hotelling, B. A. (2008). Perinatal Needs of Pregnant, Incarcerated Women. Retrieved October 5,

2017, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2409166/
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Robles, D. (2013). Prison and Birth [Web log post]. Retrieved October 5, 2107, from
https://mana.org/blog/prison-birth

Brusie, C. (2015). 10 Things You Didn't Know About Pregnancy in Prison. Retrieved October 5,
2107, from https://www.everydayfamily.com/blog/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-
pregnancy-in-prison/

N. (2015, October 18). Restraint of Pregnant Inmates. Retrieved October 5, 2017, from
http://www.ncchc.org/filebin/Positions/Restraint-of-Pregnant-Inmates.pdf

A., S. (2015). American Psychological Association. End the Shackling of Incarcerated Women
and Adolescents during Pregnancy, Labor, and Recovery. Retrieved October 5, 2017,
from https://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/women/shackling-incarcerated-women.pdf.

Geraldine Doetzer (2008) Hard Labor: e Legal Implications of Shackling Female Inmates During
Pregnancy and Childbirth. Retrieved October 5, 2017, from http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/
wmjowl/vol14/iss2/9