Mothers of children aged under five should only be imprisoned if they pose a risk to society.According to Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner for England, who has been investigating the issue of mums in prison, 18,000 children are separated from their mothers every year in this way.
'Nobody in their right mind would think it is in a child's best interest to be born in prison or spend their early years there,' says Professor Aynsley-Green. 'There is a societal issue at stake about the best way to deal with women offenders. There is a need to achieve a balance between the use of prison to address crime and keep society safe and, on the other hand, to do whatever is best for highly vulnerable women in view of their role in bringing up the next generation.'
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