While California already has legislation prohibiting the shackling of prisoners while giving birth, it does not forbid the shackling of pregnant women at many other times. Many California jails use the restrictive method of four-point shackling during transport, which involves chaining a pregnant woman around the belly, ankles and wrists. Movement is further restricted because the prisoner is shackled to other prisoners.
Currently, nearly two-thirds of California’s county jails shackle pregnant women in ways that could cause miscarriage or other injuries. Bill AB 1900 seeks to stop this inhumane treatment of pregnant women.
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Read more about the bill, a project of the Women’s Policy Institute criminal justice team, on the Women’s Foundation of California website and the California NOW blog.
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