Up to the 1950s, prison based nursery programs for children born in custody were common in correctional facilities across the country, according to the 2009 report by the Women’s Prison Association, Mothers, Infants and Imprisonment: A National Look at Prison Nurseries and Community-Based Alternatives. By the early 1970s every state, except New York, had closed their nursery programs. Now, with more women being incarcerated than ever before – and a growing recognition of the importance of the family bond to both maternal and child success – several states are taking steps to keep mothers and infants together.

The states that have taken to incorporating prison nurseries within their correctional systems have done so in recognition of the "critical bond" formed between mother and child within the first two years of life. Prison officials in these states believe that the first two years are a crucial time period for the mother and her infant. Most facilities allow the infant to reside with her mother until he/she is 18 months old because research has shown that the child will remember the connection formed with their mother, but will not remember the atmosphere in which it was formed.

The Indiana Department of Corrections implemented its Wee Ones Nursery (W.O.N.) at Indiana Women’s Prison in May 2008. Indiana is one of only nine states that currently have a prison nursery.

Wee Ones Nursery
According to the Indiana Department of Corrections website, the number of women in prison is increasing at nearly twice the rate of male offenders (Harrison & Beck, 2003). Fully 70% of women in prison are mothers, leading to estimates of 1.3 million American children with mothers in prison (Mumola, 2000). "The typical incarcerated female is of child rearing age, unmarried, a minority group member, a mother of minor children, undereducated, economically marginal, and has considerable experience with or is dependent on drugs or alcohol” (Sandifer & Kurth, 2000, pg. 365). These mothers, although typically desiring the opportunity to establish or continue to bond with their child, may have limited chances for the frequent and routine contact that promotes the growth of the relationship.

The Wee Ones Nursery is a voluntary program available for pregnant offenders who meet eligibility criteria. The intent of the W.O.N. program is to provide parenting education and to ensure quality time to strengthen the mother-infant bond during the initial months after the infant’s birth. During the past 19 months, 36 offenders have participated in the W.O.N. Mothers and their babies have private rooms in one housing unit. A small cadre of trained nannies from the offender population also live on the housing unit, and assist the mothers in caring for their infants while the mothers attend classes, counseling appointments, or similar obligations. The program also includes ongoing training of the mothers in child development and attachment.

Wee Ones Nursery Criteria

• Offender is pregnant at the time she is delivered into the custody of the Department of Correction
• Offenders earliest possible release date is not more than eighteen months after the projected delivery date
• Offender must have a conduct history free of any Class A findings of guilt for the past 12 months and free of any Class B findings of guilt for the past 6 months
• Offender has never been convicted of a violent crime or any type of child abuse or child endangerment determined by the pediatrician
• Offender and her child must meet established medical and mental health criteria determined by the pediatrician
• Offender has at least an eighth grade reading level; no one else has been granted custody or is sharing parenting privileges of the child
• Offender must be willing to sign a covenant agreeing to abide by all the rules of the W.O.N. program and indicating she will participate fully in the program

Additional Programs Offered to Wee Ones Nursery Participants

Family Healing
The focus of learning is divided among themes of understanding family system patterns and how individuals are a part of them, the importance of family history, and family communication patterns.
Healthy Starts
This group offers education and support to women who are pregnant or mothers of children under age two. Focus is on building self-esteem, healthy relationships, and connecting with community resources.
Clarian Health Network
This group provides one-on-one assistance with mothers and their infants, focusing on child development, feeding issues, safe sleeping practices, appropriate discipline, family supports, and stress management.
Riley Development Center
This group offers regular and ongoing training on child development.

Other States

According to the Women’s Prison Association report, Mothers, Infants and Imprisonment: A National Look at Prison Nurseries and Community-Based Alternatives, the other states besides Indiana having prison nurseries are California, Illinois, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia.

The California Institute for Women at Corona is the only female facility in the state that has a Mother-Child Reunification Program. It opened in 2009. After women spend up to 18 months in the nursery they will be transitioned onto parole or into a community-based program such as the Community Prison Mothers Program. In addition to the nursery, the facility runs a child-visiting program and mother-father mediation program. All pregnant women are placed in this institution and other women can request to be sentenced or transferred there.

The Illinois DOC opened the Moms & Babies Program at the Decatur Correctional Center in 2007. To qualify for the Moms & Babies Program a woman must have committed a non-violent offense and be within two years of release after giving birth.

In 1994 the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women opened its prison nursery. An infant is allowed to reside with the mother in prison if the mother’s release date is before the child turns 18 months. Childbirth and parenting classes are mandatory before and after the birth of the inmate’s child. To participate in the nursery the mother must give birth while in state custody and not have a violent criminal record. She also should not have any serious mental health concerns. A screening committee reviews each case before women are placed in the nursery.

Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York is the oldest nursery in operation. It opened in 1901 and remained open throughout the 20th century. A child is permitted to stay at Bedford Hills with its mother until 1 year of age; however, there are possible exceptions if the mother’s release date is within the next 6 months. Mothers at Bedford Hills must participate in parental classes taught by qualified inmates. Several aspects of a woman’s past are examined before she can participate in the nursery. This includes determining who is going to have custody of the child, if the mother has a history of involvement with the child-welfare system, the length of her sentence, past episodes of incarceration, and the nature of her crime. Women who have committed arson or who have a history of child abuse are not eligible for the nursery. A woman must give birth while in custody to qualify for the program.

The Ohio State Reformatory nursery opened in April 2001. It can hold up to 20 inmates and their infants up to 18 months old. Every mother has a nanny who, like the mother, is an inmate who has taken parental classes and is serving time for a non-violent offense. The nanny is a volunteer inmate who is available at any time to care for a mother’s child when the mother has made a prior commitment. To qualify for the Achieving Baby Care Success Program women must give birth while in state custody and can not have a violent criminal record. Women must attend family training courses, adhere to rules and be in good mental and physical condition. Only women who are serving a sentence of 18 months or less at the time of delivery are eligible.

The South Dakota Women's Prison’s nursery opened in 1998. Women who give birth while in custody are allowed to participate in the program as long as the mother's crime was non-violent in nature. All expenses related to the baby's care are the responsibility of the mother, including health care expenses. Mothers keep their infants in their cells. Other women at the facility are able to take classes to become babysitters and the mothers are able to choose who they would like to act as their babysitter.

The nursery at Washington Corrections Center for Women opened in 1999. To qualify for the Residential Parenting Program the mother’s sentence must be completed within three years of giving birth. The women must also be classified as minimum custody and be convicted of a non-violent offense. After her child is born, the mother may keep her child with her in the nursery until the child is 18 months old. At this point the mother and child move to a pre-release center for the next 18 months. Mothers at the Washington Corrections Center can choose to have a caregiver who looks after the infant while the mother is at work.

West Virginia opened its nursery at the Lakin Correctional Center for Women in 2009. The KIDS (Keeping Infant Development Successful) Unit is available to pregnant women who are within 18 months of release or parole. The nursery is made up of modular homes located outside the prison’s perimeter fence. To participate in the nursery the mother must not have been convicted of a sex crime or a crime against a child and must be free of disciplinary write-ups.

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