Babies Behind Bars

That's the title of this fascinating series on a controversial Indiana state prison program that allows mothers to raise their babies while they -- both mom and child -- are incarcerated.

All pregnant prisoners in Indiana are sent to serve at the Indiana Women's prison, which is the only state facility with the resources, birthing about 60 babies a year.

As you can imagine, all of those babies need a home. Some are shipped off to family members, the others to foster care. That's why the prison decided to find a way for some mothers to keep their babies while serving time.

Shanah Howell is one of 10 mothers allowed to keep her baby in the coveted Baby Dorm.

"There's been some negativity as far as babies shouldn't be in prison and that type of thing but if you could just see the faces on these mothers,” Betty Cunningham of the Indiana Women’s Prison said.

The prison said the babies are absolutely safe while living with the offenders.

"We're not going to have anyone with any violent crimes living over on that unit around those children,” Cunningham said.

Shanah and other moms are all in prison for non-violent crimes. Also, their sentences must be short; mom and baby must be released within 18 months.

Does the program actually help women avoid coming back to prison?

A successful mother may mean a real chance at a crime-free life.

On average 32 percent of Indiana female inmates return to prison within three years of their release.

But will a mother-baby bond keep women like Shanah from behind bars?

"Only a couple of them have been back and it was not for new charges it was violations of some sort,” Cunningham said.

The Baby Dorm started just three years ago, the prison said it's too early to have any solid statistics on the return rates for inmates.

They believe in a couple years they'll be able to track a real change because of the Baby Dorm.

All of the supplies from the baby dorm from clothes to diapers come from donations.

Women are one of the fastest-growing demographics in prisons, in Indiana and elsewhere.  Most have children. (Read our factsheet here.)

What do you think about this kind of program?  Leave a comment with your thoughts.