NCJ Number
114115
Date Published
1988
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This first-person, eyewitness account describes the policies, practices, and problems of pregnant women and their infants at the Federal Correctional Institution at Lexington, Kentucky, between 1985 and 1986.
Abstract
The author details intake procedures, physical conditions at the facility, and the lack of adequate medical care for ill and pregnant inmates. The experiences of several pregnant inmates elucidate hardships and indignities suffered by these women and their children. Maternity clothing was not supplied, and the women sometimes had to wear men's clothing. Women were required to deliver their infants either in shackles or in front of guards. Inmates were not allowed to keep their infants with them, and infants either were transported home or placed in foster care. Inmates sometimes were required to continue working until delivery, and some returned to hard work as little as 2 weeks after delivery. Staff training was inadequate, and many staff members held punitive attitudes toward pregnant women. Medical staff was physically abusive during examinations, and no pain medication was allowed during natural deliveries. In addition, inmates were denied access to birth control, adequate psychological counseling, and legal assistance. Many inmates were harassed into getting Government-financed abortions. In some cases, medical mismanagement may have contributed to the deaths of inmates or their infants. The need for improved treatment of pregnant inmates is emphasized.