Action | Amend Minimum Standards for Jails and Lockups to add requirements on restraint of pregnant offenders |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 9/27/2013 |
I commend the Board of Corrections' approval of proposed commonsense regulations limiting the use of restraints on pregnant inmates. I was shocked when I first heard of this practice of shackling pregnant, laboring, and post-partum female inmates and am encouraged to hear it will be limited when these regulations go into effect.
However, I am concerned that the proposed regulations do not provide for meaningful oversight through public reporting. There should be transparent reporting if and when additional restraints are used, to keep this terrible practice from simply continuing "under the radar". I urge the Board of Corrections, when they make these proposed regulations final, to include a strong public reporting requirement in the regulations to ensure compliance.