Join the campaign
Post
May 16, 2013
Posted by Vikki
Washington passes Children of Incarcerated Parents bill
Congratulations to Lillian Hewko (co-founder of the Incarcerated Mothers' Advocacy Project), Legal Voice, and veteran parents in getting the Children of Incarcerated Parents bill passed! Inspired by New York's ASFA Expanded Discretion Act, the law guides the courts' discretion to delay the termination of parental rights if the parent's incarceration or prior incarceration is a significant factor for the child's continued stay in the foster care system.
Post
April 30, 2013
Posted by Vikki
Stop Severing Incarcerated Parents from their children! Support SHB 1284 today!
On April 22, 2013, the Washington State legislature – by a near unanimous vote – passed SHB 1284 that guides the courts’ current discretion to delay termination of parental rights if the parent’s incarceration or prior incarceration is a significant factor for the child’s continued out-of-home placement, as long as the delay is in the best interest of the child. The governor has 20 days to sign the bill into law. Contact Governor Inslee’s office and tell him to sign SHB 1284 (Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill)!
Post
March 15, 2013
Posted by Nation_Inside_team
Tameika Smith’s Story
Eight and a half months pregnant in the SF County Jail, Tameika Smith talks about her childhood, addiction and her experience giving birth to her eight-year-old daughter behind bars.
Post
March 5, 2013
Posted by Vikki
Federal court sends Juana Villegas case for a retrial
Should county officials be held responsible for not only arresting & jailing Juana Villegas for driving without a license, but shackling her when she went into labor and gave birth?
Post
March 1, 2013
Posted by Vikki
Maryland Campaign to Stop Shackling Takes Off
Rachel Roth has an excellent summary looking at the anti-shackling campaign in Maryland (and a well-researched postscript on what's going on with a proposed anti-shackling bill in Iowa). Cross-posted from Moms Rising blog.
Post
March 1, 2013
Posted by Vikki
All May Not Be Lost in Iowa: Senate Human Services Committee to Hear Anti-Shackling Bill
Apparently, all is not lost in Iowa. Even though the Iowa House tabled the anti-shackling bill, similar legislation is heading towards the full Senate Human Services Committee.
Post
February 28, 2013
Posted by Vikki
Iowa lawmakers set aside anti-shackling protection
In Iowa, lawmakers set aside a bill that would prohibit shackling pregnant women who are in labor, delivery or postpartum recovery. The Iowa Department of Corrections released a new policy around how they restrain women during that time (coincidentally shortly after the DesMoines Register was investigating these practices). Lawmakers said that the policy was good enough for them and so no actual legislative protection was necessary.
Post
February 27, 2013
Posted by Vikki
Statement of Opposition to Shackling Pregnant Women and Girls in Maryland
Shackling pregnant women is permitted not only in Maryland's state-run adult and juvenile facilities, but also in local detention centers where women are held awaiting trial, before they have been proven guilty of any crime. Add your endorsement to legislation that prohibits the practice of shackling pregnant women and girls during transport, labor, delivery & recovery!
Post
February 21, 2013
Posted by Vikki
anti-shackling legislation introduced in Maryland
Maryland General Assembly Delegate Jill P. Carter is one of the co-sponsors of a bill that, if passed, would prohibit the Maryland Department of Corrections from using physical restraints on pregnant women during the second or third trimester as well as during labor, transport, delivery or post-partum recovering.
Post
February 4, 2013
Posted by Vikki
Hot on the Heels of DOC Policy Change: Iowa House to consider bill banning shackles for pregnant inm
An Iowa House panel will consider a bill on Monday barring the use of restraints on pregnant inmates. The issue of female Iowa prison inmates being shackled during pregnancy and even immediately before and after giving birth has gained attention in recent weeks, and was the subject of a Des Moines Register investigation last week.
Storybank
Audio
May 1, 2013
K’s Story
As K's story demonstrates, mothers behind bars don't stop loving and caring for their children. When possible, they try to stay active in their children's lives and, when released, do what they can to both maintain their relationship and address the harm caused by their separation. So why not give them that chance & delay severing them from their children? SHB 1284 would do that for parents incarcerated in Washington State.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
audio
March 6, 2013
Tameika: Betrayed Thyself
A spoken word piece by Tameika Smith, incarcerated in the SF County jail while pregnant.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Audio
March 6, 2013
Tameika: I Want to Be a Good Mom
Eight and a half months pregnant in the SF County Jail, Tameika Smith talks about her childhood, addiction and her experience giving birth to her eight-year-old daughter behind bars.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
video
March 1, 2013
MARYLAND: giving birth in chains & shackles
Maryland prison staff only took the handcuffs off Danielle as she was pushing her baby out. Both during labor and during her recovery, she was restrained. On Tuesday Feb 26, the Maryland General Assembly held a hearing on a HB0829, which would prevent other women from going through what Danielle suffered.
