North Carolina ends shackling of inmates during childbirth

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian


A new policy will remove wrist restraints once an inmate is in labor and the use of leg or waist restraints will now also be prevented

Mona Chalabi in New York

@MonaChalabi Email
Wed 28 Mar 2018 06.00 EDT

Pregnant inmates will no longer give birth in shackles in North Carolina after a change in the state’s prison rules.

Prisons director Kenneth Lassiter has announced a new policy that will remove wrist restraints once an inmate is in labor unless she poses an immediate risk of escape or is a clear threat to herself or others. The use of leg or waist restraints will now also be stopped.

North Carolina joins 18 other states where legislation prohibits or restricts such shackling, although many of those laws are not properly implemented according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Of the 200,000 women in US prisons or jails each year, 6%, or 12,000, are pregnant when they are incarcerated, the ACLU reported.

Eight states have no laws or policies on the subject at all, essentially giving prisons the option to handcuff an inmate while she’s having her baby and also use other restraints earlier in the labor. Other states have some restrictive policies but no laws protecting the mother from being shackled in childbirth.



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/28/north-carolina-ends-shackling-of-inmates-during-childbirth

[Frustratedlady]

1. Good lord, what is wrong with people?

Obviously, the lawmakers have never given childbirth...think the stork drops it down the chimney? Leg restraints would make for a real challenge.

[Solly Mack]

2. That such a headline could have a reason to exist.

All that abuse.

[iluvtennis]

3. Why were they ever shackled to begin with. There are armed guards when an inmate has

to go offsite to a facility like a hospital. This is ludicrous

[CTyankee]

6. An inmate in labor is hardly going to go running away...

WTF?

[Turbineguy]

4. Huh?

Welcome to the 21st Century. Glad you could make it!

[BumRushDaShow]

5. The U.S. has been doing this sort of thing

for over 200 years.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. OK but please someone tell me they'll at least keep guns trained on them during

the entire procedure. Because if not. The terra-ists win!!!

[llmart]

8. Barbaric.

Is NC trying for the "Most Backward" state in the union?

[RandomAccess]

9. Oh, Jesus. Welcome to the 20th century

Now, how long to catch up to the 21st??

[Nitram]

10. Well, isn't that nice?

The Family Values state!