I came to know Thomas Daly when he wrote his book FOR THE GOOD OF WOMEN about the history of Shakopee Valley Women’s Correctional Facility (2004). I spoke at the Women’s Warden annual national conference and he was in attendance. We spoke of the low recidivism rate for all the years he had been there & speculated as to why that was. His book points out how successful the programs were in giving women skills and self esteem and the importance of having their children visit them.
In the years 1977 to 2004 21 states grew their female prison populations by over 1000 percent five states grew by in excess of 5000 percent. China has one third fewer prisoners than the U.S. (and 4 times more people). Minnesota has about 10,000 men in prison and about 500 women. Our prison budget is about half a billion dollars. Recidivism is about 70 percent. That’s about $50,000 each year for each inmate. This is not good for families, not good for children, and not good for taxpayers. We need better answers. Here’s a support program we hope gets attention for the inmates of Shakopee Woman’s Prison
ACTION POINT:
To learn more about Prison Fellowship’s IFI visit www.ifiprison.org. If you are interested in volunteering with the IFI women’s program, contact Susan Stacey by phone at (952) 496-4407, or by e-mail at susan_stacey@pfm.org.
What we do
The Goddess Isis represents faithfulness, compassion, healing, and the power of restorative love. Her love for humanity and her compassion towards our sorrows offer hope after loss, and a promise to our spirits that there is strength in moving onward even in adversity.
“Cease your tears now, for I have come to help you. I looked down and saw the sorrows of your life. All things will soon change for you, as under my watchful light your life is restored, renewed.” ‐Patricia Monaghan
Our project is a prison‐based pregnancy, birth, and parenting program provided to incarcerated women at Shakopee Women’s Prison. The program includes individualized support for expectant incarcerated mothers along with a mothering group facilitated by our doulas, providing support during birth along with the education and skills they need to be stronger, more connected mothers.
Our Philosophy
- We believe that we are all connected and part of a whole community, and through supporting those in need, we can better the quality of life for all.
- We believe that all women deserve to make informed decisions about their bodies and their children.
- We believe that all humans have the capacity to change, grow, and transform through the birth process.
- We believe all women deserve the support of another woman at the time of her birth.
- We believe that traditions of female labor support improve the outcomes of labor and delivery.
- We believe that positive birth experiences contribute to improved bonding between mother and child and that this in turn reduces the likelihood of future abuse and neglect of that child.
Project Objectives
- Reduce recidivism rates among program participants by 50%
- Serve 100 women through educational programming each year
- Provide doula services to 25 women each year
- Reduce involvement in child protective services by 75% among program participants
- Reduce rates of post‐partum depression among group participants by 75%
Why a Prison Birth Project?
Since 1977, the female prison population has increased by 872% (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2008). Over 85% of the women in prison were the primary caregivers to their children before incarceration, and approximately 25% of women in prison have either given birth at some point during the year prior to or are pregnant at the time of their arrest (U.S. Department of Justice).These women have little access to services or rehabilitation related to birth preparation and parenting while in prison.
Labor, delivery, and birth rarely involves family, friends, or support, and most often consists of the woman being searched, shackled, and taken to a hospital under the watch of guards. Their babies are taken away from them soon afterwards. Some mothers will not see their children again then until their release; some may never see them again. These women experience shame, powerlessness, and fear during labor, and are left exposed and likely to suffer to post‐partum depression, life‐long parent‐child attachment issues, and an overwhelming insecurity in their ability to be a successful parent.
What We Do
We provide client‐directed care and education through a multi‐disciplinary team approach involving doulas, mental health practitioners, nutritionists, midwives, and parent educators. We provide the tangible life skills required to be a mother along with emotional and personal support necessary to teach mother/baby bonding from the prenatal period, break the cycle of child abuse and neglect, and prepare the incarcerated women to be capable and confident mothers as their children grow up.
We also aim to increase reunification of female prisoners and their families, with the goal of reducing recidivism among the women, and increasing success among their children.
How We Do It
Isis Rising is comprised of two interrelated components. First, a 12‐week Pregnancy and Mothering Group is available to all women at the Shakopee Women’s Prison who are pregnant, have given birth within the last year, or are parenting children under 5 years of age. This weekly program, conducted in two‐hour sessions, is facilitated by a doula and a child birth educator. Second, women who are currently pregnant are also invited to participate in the Doula Program, where they can meet with a doula individually at least once per month. These meetings involve prenatal education and birth planning. During labor, the doula will meet an expectant mother at the local hospital and remain with her throughout the labor, birth, and immediately post‐partum. Following the birth, the doula will meet with a mother twice in order to provide post‐partum support after she has returned to the correctional facility. The doula is also present with the mother at the hospital during the time of separation from her baby, a time most feared by women in our groups.
Our Research Project
Currently we are undergoing a health disparities research project in collaboration with the University of Minnesota ‐ Department of Pediatrics and Dr. Rebecca Shlafer. This pilot project will document the physical and mental health status of women participating in a prison‐based parenting, pregnancy, and birth‐program, and provide a baseline for future research and program evaluation. Findings from this project should be available in the fall of 2012.
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