CJ 513 Women in the Justice System Spring 2013
Pregnancy and childbirth in Prison Annotated Citation #1
(2011), Shackling Incarcerated Pregnant Women. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 40: 817–818. doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2011.01300.x An official postion statement of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric & Neonatal Nursing, Retrieved February 15, 2013 at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2011.01300.x/abstract The article deals with the incarceration and shackling of pregnant women. The majority of time pregnant women aren’t shackled down unless the prison officials feel that they will harm themselves, or present themselves as a legitimate flight risk. Nine times out of ten when pregnant women enter the criminal justice system they are less likely to receive prenatal care, and are more likely to experience intimate partner violence, poor nutrition, chronic disease, infectious diseases, mental illness, and drug and alcohol abuse. These are all things that could put the fetus at risk when it comes to birth defects and many other potential damages to the child. The reason for shackling incarcerated pregnant women is to prevent them from harming correctional officers, and/or harming themselves. In the event there is an emergency, shackles may cause unnecessary delays in the administration of potentially lifesaving measures. In conclusion, it’s best that pregnant women are on their best behavior while incarcerated, because the use of shackles during their pregnancy could prevent the mother and child from receiving the best care they both of them