Mother’s embrace in the shelter of prison bars / Hamed Farmand
Hamed Farmand
Iran is also among the countries that have implemented the law of keeping children in prison with their mothers. The presence of children in prison with their mothers has been in practice for over a hundred years in some countries, and while researchers around the world continue to protest against the presence of children in prison, there are also many criticisms of the situation of children in Iranian prisons. However, the main difference in criticism of child custody programs in developed countries and Iran is the failure to adhere to basic principles and provide for the basic needs of children in Iranian prisons.
Recently, the Deputy President for Women and Family Affairs once again mentioned the presence of twenty children in the juvenile detention center in the city of Ray and spoke about the existence of 200 children in prisons across the country. (1) Although the overall statistics presented by him do not match previous estimates and official statistics from the past (2), the repeated concerns raised by released activists from some women’s prisons in Iran are still a cause for concern. (3) Perhaps the only thing that exacerbates the concern is knowing that, according to this official, ten percent of the children in one of the detention centers, which is notorious for its poor conditions according to existing reports, are being held there.
Nursing programs for children in prison have been implemented by incarcerated mothers in the United States since 1901. Initially, these programs were limited to allowing mothers to care for their infants in prison. However, the inadequate conditions of the prisons led to the deaths of many of these children. The movements for gender equality resulted in the suspension of these programs and ultimately, a change in the environment for the care of children in prison. New laws for the custody of children in prison were implemented in 1930 and are currently being implemented in more than ten states in the United States with some variations. However, research is still being conducted on the quality of their implementation and their positive and negative effects on the children, their incarcerated mothers, and society as a whole. Alongside these programs, environments outside of prison have also been considered for the presence of eligible mothers. Although these environments do not have the prison setting and may seem more suitable for the care of children, there are doubts about their effectiveness in
In this article, an attempt has been made to briefly discuss the reasons for supporters of children’s presence in prison based on scientific research, and ultimately, with reference to the arguments of opponents of this action, emphasize the need for structural changes in laws and improvement and reform of the environment for implementing child custody programs in Iranian prisons.
Child in prison, beliefs and realities
Believers in the presence of a child in prison with their incarcerated mother emphasize the threefold effects of this action. They see the presence of a child in prison as beneficial for the balanced growth of the child, the establishment of a secure relationship with the mother, and positive effects on the child’s appropriate social behavior. They also evaluate this presence as beneficial for both the mother and other prisoners. According to these individuals, establishing a strong relationship between mother and child is effective in reducing the mother’s likelihood of reoffending and, in the case of a child and mother having a relationship in common areas of the prison, it helps to soften the prison environment and promote positive behavior among other prisoners. They also point to the social effects of this presence, such as reducing the likelihood of the mother reoffending on one hand and breaking the cycle of offending by the child on the other. However, opponents of the presence of a child in prison emphasize that prison can never be a suitable environment for raising
Supporters of this law consider conditions for nursing a child in prison. They talk about a separate place for keeping the child and the mother in prison so that the mother and child can be kept in a relatively separate and protected environment. In these spaces, the mother not only takes care of her infant while serving her sentence, but also learns necessary skills for caring for the child. Research shows positive effects of these teachings on child behavior and emphasizes the positive effects of caring for the child and the positive relationship between mother and child in reducing addiction and committing crimes. According to supporters, having the child in prison can help mitigate the negative effects of forced separation between mother and child after the child is transferred outside of prison. Maintaining this relationship, through visits and other forms of communication, requires informing other family members of the prisoner, which should be part of the child care program in prison.
Executive infrastructures for children’s presence in prison
Caring for a child alongside their mother in a prison environment cannot be beneficial for either of them. What a child needs is a safe and stress-free environment where they can experience a proper relationship with their mother. Prisons that enforce the law of allowing children to be present in prison usually have a separate area for mothers and their children. These spaces have better conditions for caring for children. The basic needs of the child and their mother are provided for in these areas, their health is taken into consideration, and necessary education is available for the mother. All research conducted on the benefits and harms of having children in prison emphasizes the necessity of having these prerequisites. Therefore, without considering the necessary measures for childcare programs in prison, not only will the presence of a child in a prison environment not be beneficial for them, but it will also cause serious harm. According to a few reports from prisons across Iran, children are kept in general cells with other prisoners. There is still no documented report on prisons that have
The suggestion of activists and researchers is a serious and fundamental action to solve the problem of children in prison in Iran. They emphasize on conducting research on one hand and utilizing the experiences of other countries on the other hand. Surely, the use of civil society capacities is necessary in changing the current conditions; however, without legal support and executive guarantee, civil society will not be able to make any fundamental changes. Having complete statistics on the number and conditions of children in prison, if not more important than any other action, is still of great importance.
Executive steps
In summary, the following actions can serve as the basis for any fundamental action for children in prison. Simply announcing the reopening of a kindergarten next to a prison does not help solve the problem of children in prison in Iran.
a) Providing the basic needs of children in prison (including hygiene and nutrition) as the first step.
b) Completing accurate and precise statistics on the number, location, and conditions of children held in prisons throughout the country.
Identifying relevant non-profit organizations and facilitating the utilization of their existing capacities.
Creating a separate space for the imprisonment of mother and child.
Revision of laws to improve the situation of child custody in prison.
Sources
1- There are about 200 children with their mothers in the country’s prisons, according to the Herana News Agency, 15 Ordibehesht 1394.
2- Farmand, Hamed, An Introduction to a Plan for Children in Prison, Gooya News, 21 Esfand 1393
Hosseinzadeh, Mahboubeh, eleven children in Evin Prison’s disciplinary ward!? Committee of Human Rights Reporters, 17 Ordibehesht 1386.
Hamed Farmand Imprisoned children Magazine Number 49 Shahr-e Rey Prison ماهنامه خط صلح ماهنامه خط صلح