I’m Raising my Baby in Prison

New mother Keisha is a natural as she attends to her baby son Jack. The mother-son bond is clearly secure and loving.

On the surface of it, little Jack’s surroundings are pretty idyllic. He has a comfortable cot, stimulating toys and a pram for walks.

Outside is a well-kept green lawn with colourful playground equipment. There are other mothers and babies nearby, an indoor play area and he undergoes his regular infant checks by health workers. To Jack, the world looks pretty good. And yet in truth his environment is anything but typical. For Keisha, 22, and Jack are living within the secure confines of Jacaranda Cottages mothers and babies unit at Emu Plains Correctional Centre in Sydney’s west.

While some may flinch at the idea of a baby living in prison, the alternative – a newborn being separated from their mother, even if circumstances are safe for them to be together – is arguably worse.

Being imprisoned as a new mother still has its challenges, such as having no freedom or autonomy and being constantly monitored by government departments, but it’s also an opportunity for inmates to take part in parenting programs and build an important bond with their baby.

At Jacaranda Cottages, babies and young children up to school age can live with their mum while she serves her sentence.

Here Keisha, who began taking drugs after falling in with the wrong crowd as a teenager, tells  what her life is like in jail and how the experience is shaping her future.

“My life is good at Jacaranda Cottages because I have been able to bond with my newborn son,” she says. “I was lucky to get onto the program as obviously there are some inmates who don’t meet the criteria. My daily routine is just like any other mother apart from having a head check (a headcount to ensure all inmates are present) at 6.30am. I then prepare my son’s day and the Mothers and Children’s program runs groups that we must attend, including parenting courses, art therapy and playgroup," she says.

“I get constant support from staff and other inmates too. When I was pregnant I had pre-natal checks and after Jack was born at the local public hospital under the guard of a prison officer, my family came down and stayed in a hotel in the area. This enabled them to meet my child and also gave me comfort of having them around at this special time.

If I hadn’t been able to keep Jack with me the alternative would have been for my baby to be cared for by my sister who is completing a nursing degree. She would have had to put her studies on hold until I was released.

I’ve been able to address my drug abuse issues while I serve my sentence and I feel confident when I am released that I will be a good mother and citizen.

Now I’m looking forward to getting back into the community. I’m going to create a positive future for myself and my son. I’m planning to do a TAFE course in business and I hope to bring my child up to be a fine young man.”

It wasn't until after Keisha was convicted of drug charges she learned she was pregnant. Inside Australian prisons life isn’t so bad for mother and child, but this isn’t always the case in different countries.

If you or a loved one is pregnant and has been charged with a criminal offense, arrested, etc. Contact NICRO right away to get help!

What Happens when a Baby is Born in Jail?

Even though a large section of women in US prisons are mothers, we still do not have a policy to say what should happen to their babies born behind bars!

Where are these babies going? Yes, in the 1950s nurseries in prison where an everyday thing, but what happened after the prison population sky-rocketed? Studies show that the number of women in prison quadrupled, which means that prisons could no longer afford to accommodate raising a baby in jail.

It is no surprise that most mothers in prison had to give up their baby or place the kids with relatives.

Recent studies show that in order to create a mother-baby bond, the first two years of the child's life are extremely important. Children that do not experience this are more likely to act up and show bad behaviour later on in life. Another factor is that women who are allowed to raise their children are less likely to return to a life of crime.

NICRO is a non-profit organisation which offers a range of different services – crime prevention, diversion, non-custodial sentencing, offender reintegration. If you or a loved one is ever in need, do not hesitate to contact NICRO right away!

All across the world, it is agreed that a baby's place is at their mother's side. In Sweden, babies can be accommodated for up to a year (the average stay is three months). In most European countries, mothers are allowed to keep their infants through weaning. Prisons in India are required to offer nurseries and day care for mothers and their children. In Chile, jail-born children begin taking state-run educational programs at six months of age. In Mexico, children are required to stay with their mothers until they’re 6 years old, and have the freedom to leave on weekends and holidays.

For those who are angered by just thinking about babies being raised in prison, Germany represents a common sense compromise. There, qualified mothers are allowed to leave prison every morning to see their children off to school, spending the day doing housework and preparing meals for their children. At the end of the day, the women return to the jail to sleep. Their waking hours are spent fostering a stable, nurturing environment for the next generation, one that won’t have to remember a childhood spent behind bars.

Obviously, jail is not the perfect place to raise a child. However if you separate a mother from their child, this can be cruel and damaging to both mother and child.