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HARMONY BEYOND
BOUNDARIES APFO - A NATIONAL VOICE
MOMS & BABIES PROGRAM
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SISTER 2 SISTER MENTORING
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MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN
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On May 19, 2008, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) Women and
Family Services Division hosted a special ceremony to mark the first
anniversary of the Moms and Babies Program at the Decatur Correctional
Center. Since the program’s inception in 2007, two mothers and their
babies have completed the program and returned home. Currently, there are
five moms and their children in the program, including one mother who gave
birth to a baby girl just five days ago.
The Moms and Babies Program allows qualified mothers to keep their newborn
babies with them to help support the incarcerated mother in developing and
nurturing a bond with her infant through effective programming along with
safe and supportive living environment.
IDOC Director Roger E. Walker, Jr. praised the dedication and support for
the new program, quoting Dr, Martin Luther King Jr., who once said, “Faith
is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
“It is truly inspirational to know that so many people have committed
themselves to ensuring the program’s success,” Director Walker continued.
“The Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human
Services as well as other community organizations have provided meaningful
services for this new program. We also appreciate the support of all
the center’s employees who have embraced the philosophy of the Moms and
Babies Program.”
The Moms and Babies Program is a pilot program with a long-range goal of
housing up to 20 mothers and babies. The Moms and Babies Program continues
to be in the forefront of gender-responsive programming by providing for
the incarcerated mother and her newborn to bond in a setting that nurtures
physical and emotional health. Such programming helps to reduce recidivism
and the chances of children someday continuing the cycle of incarceration.
“Moms and Babies Program provides a holistic approach for the female
offender and her newborn to increase her personal and parental growth and
development,” said Deputy Director Debbie Denning of Women and Family
Services. “The program is designed to emulate the dynamics consistent with
an indigent, single, expecting mother in the community while ensuring
proper protocol is followed for the correctional environment.” Selected
candidates with a release date projected to be within about 24 months of
their delivery date are screened for the program. After delivery, the
incarcerated mothers and babies have their own room in the correctional
facility to accommodate the needs of the mother and baby. The program also
has a specially designed Infant Development Center to provide daycare for
infants while their incarcerated mothers attend programming classes and
report for job assignments within the prison.
According to a May 2004 study by the National Resource Center for Foster
Care and Permanency Planning at the Hunter College School of Social Work,
early attachment patterns are predictive of social behaviors. Keeping
incarcerated mothers and their babies together can work preemptively
against future psychosocial problems for the child and their associated
burdens on the state. It can also motivate the mothers to better
themselves, both in prison and in their lives beyond it.
The Women and Family Services Division promotes a variety of other
programs and services to strengthen and reinforce the bonding between
mothers and their children. Children and families play an important role
in the management of offenders in custodial settings. At the Decatur,
Dwight, Lincoln and Fox Valley facilities, family activities range from
day camps, video visiting, storybook and summer read programs as well as
holiday activities for mothers and children.
Debbie Denning Deputy Director of Women and Family Services,
Illinois Department of Corrections. (217) 877-0353
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MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN (MCIW)
COLLEGE DEGREE PROGRAM: PATH TO THE FUTURE
On September 16, 2008, a daring process began. We
had the privilege of welcoming Anne Arundel Community College to our
doors. We were visited by some of the most prestigious people in the state
in education, and, all to seek out and accommodate our educational needs
here at MCIW. This endeavor fanned a period of two weeks, consisting of
standards, placement testing, guideline and goals. The testing was carried
out over a period of three days from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Officials
from the college met with the women to discuss their past as well as
present ambitions, applications for registration and paperwork to assist
in receiving transcripts, learning materials and classroom preparation and
encompassed many hours of labor to assure the success of this program.
Fifty women met the criteria and were selected to participate in this
effort to prepare women to go out into the world, continue their
education, acquire employment and become self-reliant and an asset to
their families as well as their communities. Classes will begin for the
spring semester. Credits will be earned an approximate rate of 12-14 per
year which would mean that a participant could successfully complete her
associate’s degree in liberal arts and would receive her credentials
directly from the college. This will be a wonderful springboard to a
successful future for the women at MCIW. We encourage all the participants
and know they will take full advantage of this opportunity given to them.
By: Dorothy Farbo #919623
Maryland Correctional Institution for Women |
