This is from discussion section. At this time I had not decided what my theme is, so my materials seems random and separate. My peer reviewers suggested me to expand and show more about my opinion.
1. Durenberger, David. "Women In Prison: Programs And Alternatives". Hearing Before the Committee on the Judiciary United Stated Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, Firsgt Session on S. 1158. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1994.
Family unity demonstration act was a bill enable nonviolent moms to be with their children (under 7 years old) in a special community. It was sponsored by Senator David Ferdinand Durenberger in 1993. But accourding to record on "Authorization of appropriations" on U.S. Code, it did not get grant untill 1996, and the grant stopped since 2000. In the hearing, Senator Simon responded to Senator Durenberger that, "We are in a period when we are looking at budgets all the time. Senator Durenberger mentioned that this program would help to save "social costs of foster care, incarceration, and the relentless cycle of crime", but Senator Simon said that there was no way of getting estimate of saving money. This program is hard to implement because short of money support.
2.Durbin, Richard. "The Law of the Land: U.S. Inplementation of Human Rights Treaties". Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law of the Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, First Session. Government Printing Office. 2010.
There was a recommendation by Human Rights Committee for the US in July 2006, which recommended "the state party to prohibit the shackling of detained women during childbirth". The Federal Bureau of Prisons banned shackling in 2008, but at that time only 5 states have corresponding policy. And, "the US should adopt meaningful implementation structures. The US was criticized for "lack of approprate and effective mechanisms... at the federal, state and local levels". incomplete implementation one aspect waiting for improvement.
3.Quinn, Audrey. "In Labor, In Chain". The New York Times. 26 Jul. 2014. Web. 2 Feb. 2017.
Valerie Nabors was from Nevada, a state that has already made shakling pregnant inmate illegal. However, she suffered from shackling when she gave birth to her daughter during the time she serving her sentence at the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center in Las Vegas for stealing money. Both of the medical staff on her anbulence and a nurse in the hospital suggested to unrestrain her for safety but officers refused. Later she was found suffering from pulled muscles and "a seperation of her pubic bones", which her physician concluded that "were a direct result of the restraints". Valerie sued and carried the case. Two months later, the Nevada Board of State Prison Commissioners "adopted new regulations for oversight, including training requirements for corrections officers and investigatory obligations for the state". "Victims of illegal shackling rarely litigate, often because of feelings of shame or fear of repercussions".
“The law was put in place because New York State recognized that these practices are an affront to human rights and decency,” Tamar Kraft-Stolar, director of the association’s Women in Prison Project, told the New New York Time's journalist. “The fact that it’s being routinely violated is egregious.”
This is an example of not implement of law since some of officers are not trained or even told about anti-shackling laws.
4.Shain, Karen. "Stop Shackling". Legal Services for Prisoners with Children. Mar. 2010. Web. 2 Feb. 2017.
This is a report of the condition of anti-shackling law on all of the countries in California. It investigated how many countries have policies and whether the policy of a country is specific enough. This gives the exact data of laws.
5.Hager, Eli. "For Men in Prison, Child Support Becomes a Crushing Debt". The Marshall Project. Oct, 18, 2015. Web. 10, Jan, 2017.
Most Overdue Child Support Went Unpaid Last Year. This news indicate that reducing child support will increase complain from taxpayers. Some people are afraied that this act will make those fathers "waiting for help", which is a bad use of welfare. Policy makers need to reconsider with particular type of attitude. Moreover, there is still burden for those fathers: file for the reduction is not easy for them without lawyer and enough education level; some does not notice they have child support debt.
6.The Rebecca Project for Human Rights. "Mothers Behind Bars". National Women’s Law Center. 2010. Web. 10, Jan, 2017.
This report list several feasible methods of improving pregnant inmates' lives, including arrangement with particular hospital, trainning officers for pregnant inmates and notice their nutrition condition. And it also analyzed why these are important.
7. Poehlmann, Julie et al. “Children’s Contact With Their Incarcerated Parents: Research Findings and Recommendations.” The American psychologist 65.6 (2010): 575–598. PMC. Web. 8 Feb. 2017.
The the Adoption and Safe Families Act required agencies to make "reasonable efforts" to help family with incarcerated parent. But it does not define what means by "reasonable efforts".It also mandated " commencement of proceedings to terminate parental rights once a child has been in foster care for 15 out of the most recent 22 months" (ASFA, 2000), which put incarcerated parents who are not able to find trustful caregivings a severe problem since they might lose their children during the time in prison.
8.Polish, Jennifer. "Chindren of Incarcerated Parents: What Are Their Rights?". Law Street. 8 Jul. 2015. Web. 8 Feb. 2017.
This article points out that the Adoption and Safe Families Act is decastating and children and their incarcerated parents against this rule since it "tear[s] families apart". Because the mandatory minimum drug sentence will cause 36-month sentences, which will divide children and their parents permanently.
9. Morsy, Leila and Rothstein, Richard. "Mass incarceration and children’s outcomes". Economy Policy Institute. 15 Dec. 2016. Web.8 Feb. 2017.
10. "How the Child Support System Affects Low-Income Fathers" National Conference of State Legislatures". 8 Feb. 2017.
Proposal:
Parental incarceration causes trouble for children and their family. A severe phenomenon is shackling of pregant women in prison. Study has showed that it is harmful for both mother and infetus and there are laws prohibit this action. However, it still occures in the US because of lack of recognition of prison officers and incomplete implement of law. Mothers with new borns still face problem if they cannot find trustful caregivings due to the existence of the AFSA rules. Prison nursery is an effective way to fix this problem by letting mothers take care of their babies, but there is not enough structures. Like the Family unity demonstration act in 1993, these programs face financial obstacles. Their return is a long time procession which is hard to see, thus it is hard to get lasting fund. Child support is a program aiming to make children with parental incarceration lives easier, but it is actually a burden for poor and low-income fathers. Reducing policy is widely objected since these fathers are considered "voluntary poverishment" and law makers afraid that it will make these fathers lazier and waiting for help. Some organization advocates for investigating each debt owner and adjust their debt, but it will cost too much to do so.