Incarcerated mothers represent the nation's fastest-growing prison population

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/2891406,CST-NWS-prisonmoms14.article

Number of imprisoned moms soaring

November 13, 2010

Incarcerated mothers represent the nation's fastest-growing prison population, increasing 122 percent from 1991 to midyear 2007, according to a new study.

"Childhood Disrupted: Understanding the Effects of Maternal Incarceration," sponsored by Volunteers of America, said two-thirds of incarcerated females are mothers of dependent children.

More than 150,000 American children today have mothers who are in federal and state prisons.

[theoldman]

1. More single women are having children.

Single mothers have little money and a difficult life. The solution is to have fewer single mothers and provide more help. I would bet that very few of the mothers wanted to have children.

[Warpy]

3. I'll bet they did want to have them

but this country despises them for it and offers them little in the way of help.

A lot of these women are in because the fathers of their children got out of a prison sentence for drugs by rolling over on Mom. Yes, that's how it happens. Most of the rest are in for doing things to feed the kids like theft and bad checks. Some are in for their own drug offenses.

More enlightened cultures allow young children to stay with Mom. Our culture has never been anywhere near enlightened concerning the problems of women and children.

[WhiteTara]

6. too true, Warpy.

but I don't think it is just this country where women are despised. I think it is world wide and until/unless the feminine is considered sacred, we will only suffer more.

[SoCalDem]

4. and legal guidelines may have been catching up the women, along with their

significant others. There was a time when women were often perceived as "innocent bystanders" when it came to their druggie/larcenous mates.

[Hello_Kitty]

2. That seems consistent with the number of women in the general population who are mothers

[Brickbat]

5. I haven't read the story, but I'm guessing this is yet another symptom of the WOD's jacked-up

sentences on "accomplices." Lots of women drive the cars, serve as lookouts, and are in the room as deals go down.