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| New Zealand to Let Prison Mothers Keep Babies Behind Bars |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 07/17/2002 |
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For the first time, mothers in prison in New Zealand will be allowed to keep and care for their babies behind bars, the Corrections Department said July 10. Policy development general manager Jared Mullen said the department, which runs New Zealand's prisons, would allow babies aged under six months to live with their mothers in special prison units in an attempt to lower re-offending rates and improve conditions for inmates. Under current prison policy, babies cannot stay with mothers in prisons overnight. If mothers give birth in prison, their newborn babies are taken from them and cared for by family or welfare agencies until their release. However, mothers can currently have short stints with their babies to breast-feed and bond until the child is six months-old. Mullen said the decision to change policy was taken after studying similar systems in Canada and Australia. The change has been endorsed by the government's Corrections Minister Matt Robson, said Mullen. A report prepared for the Corrections Department found that mothers who have been able to keep their babies with them in prison in other countries were significantly less likely to re-offend after their release. No New Zealand prison currently has facilities for babies or children to live with their mothers. The new policy will come into effect once such facilities are ready at each women's prisons around the country. |
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