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HCR043...............................by JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
FEMALE INMATES - Stating findings of the Legislature regarding the welfare
of babies born to women who are incarcerated and urging the Board of
Correction to consider a nursery program.
01/24 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/25 Rpt prt - to Jud
02/14 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/15 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/21 3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote - to Senate
02/22 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Jud
|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ||||
Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2002
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 43
BY JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE CONCERNING THE WELFARE OF BABIES BORN TO
3 WOMEN WHO ARE INCARCERATED AND DIRECTING THE BOARD OF CORRECTION TO STUDY
4 A NURSERY PROGRAM AND REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE.
5 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
6 WHEREAS, both President George W. Bush and Governor Dirk Kempthorne have
7 urged that we must "Leave No Child Behind"; and
8 WHEREAS, children of Idaho female inmates who are born while their mothers
9 are incarcerated should not be left behind; and
10 WHEREAS, modern medical science supports the premise that newborn babies
11 need to bond with their mothers to be psychologically healthy; and
12 WHEREAS, three states, New York (where a nursery was started in 1901),
13 Nebraska and Washington, and many European countries support a prison nursery
14 where inmates care for their newborns, yet fulfill their prison jobs as the
15 babies stay in daycare; and
16 WHEREAS, the recidivism rate of those mothers with a prison nursery pro-
17 gram is lower than other inmate mothers; and
18 WHEREAS, research states that a person, with one or more parents who have
19 been incarcerated, is five times more likely to go to prison; and
20 WHEREAS, it is the goal of the Idaho Legislature to stop the cycle of fam-
21 ily crime and recidivism; and
22 WHEREAS, babies of a female inmate may be more costly to the state of
23 Idaho outside of prison in other care than inside prison with their own
24 mother; and
25 WHEREAS, ten percent of Idaho women entering prison are pregnant.
26 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-
27 sion of the Fifty-sixth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and
28 the Senate concurring therein, that the Board of Correction make a thorough
29 study of the female inmate/newborn baby dilemma and consider implementing
30 nursery and family reunification programs that allow babies to stay with their
31 mothers and other children to reunite with their mothers prior to release,
32 under rules adopted by the Board.
33 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Correction shall, within the
34 first seven days of each legislative session, report to the Legislature on the
35 status of nursery and family reunification programs and the progress toward
36 implementing the policy stated herein.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 11487C1
The purpose of this resolution is to promote better care of
our children born to female inmates and to reduce recidivism.
As the Board of Corrections makes changes in the housing and
treatment of female inmates, the resolution asks that the Board
also study the female offender/newborn baby dilemma.
FISCAL IMPACT
There would be no additional expense to the Board of Corrections
because staff already exists to make studies and reports.
Contact
Name: Representatives Donna Boe
Phone: 332-1000
Representative Sher Seliman
Phone: 332-1000
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE HCR 43