Section 47-5-1503 - Legislative findings and purposeThe Legislature of the State of Mississippi finds that:
(a) The number of incarcerated women in the State of Mississippi has increased by a third (1/3) since 2001 and at one point in 2008 the rate had grown by forty-four percent (44%);(b) Nationally, the number of children under age eighteen (18) with a mother in prison more than doubled since 1991;(c) Children who grow up with parents in prison are six (6) to seven (7) times more likely to become incarcerated themselves;(d) Prisoners who maintain close contact with their family members while incarcerated have better post-release outcomes and lower recidivism rates;(e) Children of inmates who are able to visit their imprisoned parents have increased cognitive skills, improved academic self-esteem, greater self-control and change schools much less often;(f) To mitigate the collateral impact on families and children, the Department of Corrections should consider the location of family;(g) Nationally, approximately two thousand (2,000) women give birth while incarcerated each year;(h) Prenatal care significantly improves outcomes for pregnant women and infants;(i) Participation in post-delivery mother-infant residency or nursery programs is associated with lower recidivism rates, reduced risk of babies entering foster care, and improved odds that mothers and their babies will remain together after the mother's period of incarceration;(j) Use of restrictive housing and restraints on incarcerated pregnant women may be extremely dangerous to the health of mothers, fetuses and infants; and(k) Nationally, eighty-six percent (86%) of women in prison were victims of sexual assault prior to entering the prison system.Added by Laws, 2021, ch. 440, HB 196,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2021.