Mothers in Prison

The female prison population in the United States doubled during the 1990s and is continuing to rise. This increase affected minority women disproportionately, with black and Hispanic females far more likely than whites to be in prison. Two-thirds of the women in prison have one or more minor children. By the end of 1999, more than 53,000 mothers of minor children were incarcerated in state or federal prisons. This resulted in approximately 126,000 minor children with a mother in prison in 1999, almost double the number in 1990. Twenty-two [Page 611]percent of the children with a parent in prison were under five years old.

Unlike prisoner fathers, mothers in prison were often living with their children immediately prior to incarceration. In 1997, nearly 65% of the mothers in prison reported living with one or more of their minor children prior to their arrest. In the federal prison system, about 63% of women prisoners reported one or more minor children in the home prior to incarceration. As a result, in 1999 there were more than 35,000 women incarcerated who had resided with their children prior to arrest. Minority women and their children are particularly affected by the high incarceration rates of women. In state prisons, nearly half of the incarcerated parents were black, and nearly 1 in 5 were Hispanic. In the federal system, 44% were black, and 30% Hispanic. Several important issues have arisen as a result. The problems include placement of the children, contact between the prisoner mother and her children, the effects on the mothers, and the effects on the children. Furthermore, pregnancy during incarceration is becoming an increasing issue. A growing number of women enter prison pregnant, with some children born while they are incarcerated. Finally, some programs are being developed to address the problems of mothers in prison and their children.