Children raised in Jail

Upon my first visit to the Women’s Jail in La Paz back in 2005, I immediately noticed that knitting inside the jail is a form of life, and a means of survival. The items these women knit are meant to be sold in the outside world, and in some cases made for outside Artisans, most of who pay very low wages.  

Another peculiarity of this jail is that it houses more children than inmates, being that the women who have children, which most do, are legally allowed to bring their children under the age of six into the jail with them, in order to protect them from being out on the streets or in abusive homes. It is not uncommon for some of the women to have more than one child in the jail with them and some children over the age of six remain within the jail if special circumstances exist, and they don’t have a safe alternative. The children are given free medical assistance, food and daycare. The children who are over the age of 6, are escorted out of the jail everyday to attend school and at the end of the day, escorted back in.

At first glance, this situation seems inadmissible and hard to image, yet as I ponder on the available alternatives, I can appreciate the benefits of housing the children close to their mothers, who at the very least have the option of nurturing them while incarcerated.

Another benefit of having children within the jail is that it seems to keep the women busy and focused on their priorities, which I believe lessons the outbreak of violence and confrontations amongst the inmates. I have never felt unsafe while visiting the jail, and appreciate the little smiling faces I encounter during my daily visits.

Having shared this, I don’t believe a prison of any kind is an ideal environment for a child’s upbringing; they are exposed to women who have committed violent crimes, drug and alcohol abuse, conjugal visits, older children who in some cases have been brought up in abusive environments and other situations children are not emotionally or mentally prepared for.

However in Bolivia an alternative does not yet exist which provides the children a home environment that encourages them to thrive, while allowing them the freedom to visit and connect with their mothers on a regular and consistent basis.

These children are not street kids or orphans, they have mothers.  However within most homes or orphanages, the children are not able to visit the prison to see their mothers, due to the lack of available human resources needed to physically take the children to the jail on a regular basis.  This is why most mothers choose to take their children inside the jail with them, as opposed to leaving them in a home.

The penitentiary system in Bolivia has questioned this arrangement for years, especially in regards to the safety of the children living in the men’s jail; however an alternative has not been brought forward which is financially realistic and meets the needs of the inmates and the penitentiary system to date.

In the mean time, I continue to work with these mothers, and enjoy the presence of these little beings, appreciating how they so naturally elevate the mood and loving within the prison walls.