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Bill prevents shackling of pregnant inmates during labor

By Tom Miller and John Hingsbergen

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February 26, 2010 · The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill Thursday that prohibits shackling of pregnant women who are incarcerated except in extraordinary circumstances.

Delegate Bonnie Brown , D-Kanawha, is lead sponsor of the bill .

 

“It has happened in other states,” said Brown. “We modeled our bill after what some of the other states have done on this issue.”

 

West Virginia Division of Corrections  Commissioner Jim Rubenstein says he already has a policy in place for state prisons but this would extend the policy to regional jails.

 

“Sadly, there are some states that shackle and handcuff the female inmates during transport and delivery,” said Rubenstein.

 

“Our position is that certainly with a transport and delivery of a baby by a pregnant female inmate that we don’t shackle and handcuff and that this policy just gives us the authority to do that,” he added.

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