INMATE AND CHILD

A Plan Letting Some Women Behind Bars Take A More Active Role In
Child-Raising Would Be Both Beneficial And Humane

It's always been that way: Parents sent to prison forfeit the right to have
ordinary family contact with their children. In some cases that's for the
better. But North Carolina corrections officials exhibit the right
instincts in considering a program, recommended by state Sen. Ellie
Kinnaird of Carrboro, that would provide a place to reunite some children
with their incarcerated mothers during the final portions of the women's
sentences. In view of North Carolina's financial straits, funding looms as
a big obstacle, along with traditional attitudes about prison punishment.
Yet the state shouldn't shrink from trying the program because some
short-sighted critics might view it as coddling criminals.

The Department of Correction hopes to start the enlightened $3.5 million
effort in about two years, letting up to 20 women live in a minimum
security prison with their children under age 9. As many as 40 children
could be housed. Inmates with less than 5 years left on their terms could
participate, which would be a sensible criterion. The women would have to
take parenting, vocational and drug treatment classes, furthering the
program's rehabilitative aim and helping the inmates' transition to freedom.

Several other states with similar programs have found that participants are
less likely to commit new crimes upon their release. That alone would be a
substantial benefit to the inmates, their children and North Carolina.
Inmates' toil and talents -- their usefulness to society -- often are put
on hold while in prison. That's in addition to the cost in hard currency:
The average cost to taxpayers to lock up an inmate is $23,000 a year.

Common sense and empirical research say there is value in keeping parents
and children together. Certainly children can benefit from parental
contact. No doubt having a child spend time in a prison environment is less
than ideal. But in any case, that environment would be more along the lines
of a halfway house than clanging steel and one hour on the yard.

Officials also will need to answer those who think that separation from
one's children should be part of the penalty that someone sentenced to a
loss of liberty must pay. There's no question that such separation is
indeed punitive. But that argument assumes as well that innocent children
ought to suffer for their parents' actions, which is neither a useful
position to take nor one that most well-meaning people would subscribe to.
Besides, children with solid parental anchors are less likely to commit
crimes themselves.

The hope of those backing the program is to raise private funds in the next
two years to get it started; they'll also be looking to federal sources.
But North Carolina legislators -- even with the competing and pressing
demands they face -- have every reason to find some money to help the
program succeed.