by Jill Morrison, Senior Counsel,
National Women's Law Center
Not many people are aware of the practice of shackling prison inmates while they are giving birth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that it makes the birthing process far more difficult, and endangers the pregnancy by hindering the doctor’s ability to assess the pregnant woman’s condition. If you can’t begin to imagine how degrading this must be, read here about one woman’s experience.
We previously reported on the anti-shackling bill that passed both legislative houses in New York and we’ve been anxiously waiting to see if the governor would do the right thing. Fortunately he has, and the cruel and inhumane practice of restricting the movement of pregnant inmates has been forbidden in one more state. This makes New York one of only a handful of states to forbid the use of restraints on inmates during labor and birth. Federal prisons revised their policy to prohibit shackling in October.
Not surprisingly there isn’t one reported case of an attempted escape by a woman who is in labor! We are working with a coalition led by the Rebecca Project for Human Rights to ban this practice in every state’s prisons and jails.


