Abstract
Women of childbearing age are the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated population, but few resources exist for women who deliver an infant while in jail. This article presents data from a multiagency, collaborative study providing trained labor and birth support (doulas) to pregnant women who delivered while in jail custody. Satisfaction surveys and qualitative interviews showed high program feasibility and satisfaction and low program costs. The most compelling findings of the study were the interviews with the inmate mothers that outlined a grim and repetitive trajectory of childhood abuse, violence, and neglect that led to school failure, problematic relationships with men, early drug use, arrest, incarceration, and eventual loss of children. Policy recommendations centered around early intervention, harm reduction, and reunification conclude the article.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 311-328 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Prison Journal |
| Volume | 85 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2005 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Doula support
- High risk pregnancy
- Incarcerated pregnant women
- Intervention research
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Labor support for incarcerated pregnant women : The doula project. / Schroeder, Carole; Bell, Janice F.
In: Prison Journal, Vol. 85, No. 3, 09.2005, p. 311-328.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Labor support for incarcerated pregnant women
T2 - The doula project
AU - Schroeder, Carole
AU - Bell, Janice F
PY - 2005/9
Y1 - 2005/9
N2 - Women of childbearing age are the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated population, but few resources exist for women who deliver an infant while in jail. This article presents data from a multiagency, collaborative study providing trained labor and birth support (doulas) to pregnant women who delivered while in jail custody. Satisfaction surveys and qualitative interviews showed high program feasibility and satisfaction and low program costs. The most compelling findings of the study were the interviews with the inmate mothers that outlined a grim and repetitive trajectory of childhood abuse, violence, and neglect that led to school failure, problematic relationships with men, early drug use, arrest, incarceration, and eventual loss of children. Policy recommendations centered around early intervention, harm reduction, and reunification conclude the article.
AB - Women of childbearing age are the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated population, but few resources exist for women who deliver an infant while in jail. This article presents data from a multiagency, collaborative study providing trained labor and birth support (doulas) to pregnant women who delivered while in jail custody. Satisfaction surveys and qualitative interviews showed high program feasibility and satisfaction and low program costs. The most compelling findings of the study were the interviews with the inmate mothers that outlined a grim and repetitive trajectory of childhood abuse, violence, and neglect that led to school failure, problematic relationships with men, early drug use, arrest, incarceration, and eventual loss of children. Policy recommendations centered around early intervention, harm reduction, and reunification conclude the article.
KW - Doula support
KW - High risk pregnancy
KW - Incarcerated pregnant women
KW - Intervention research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=24944586433&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=24944586433&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0032885505279463
DO - 10.1177/0032885505279463
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:24944586433
VL - 85
SP - 311
EP - 328
JO - Prison Journal
JF - Prison Journal
SN - 0032-8855
IS - 3
ER -