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Across the United States, many women find themselves chained during labor.

For one Pennsylvania woman, the harsh reality of this inhumane practice became personal experience. Tina Torres lived through more than 17 hours of labor in shackles which continually scraped her ankles. Though her baby was safely delivered, the chains used on her created permanent scars.

For many, the shackling of pregnant inmates during labor sounds like a distant atrocity, something unthinkable and irrelevant to the lives of those we know. Yet until recently, shackling during labor could have happened to any pregnant woman incarcerated in Pennsylvania. Thankfully, the degrading treatment of women like Tina has helped spur action on the issue.

On July 6^th, 2010 Pennsylvania Governor Rendell signed a statewide ban on the shackling of pregnant inmates. The law prohibits shackling of pregnant inmates on the way to the hospital, while in labor, during pregnancy-related complications, and for a reasonable amount of time after labor. Pennsylvania joined at least 8 other states in outlawing the needless, cruel practice. The issue is so morally clear that Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections claims to have already had rules mirroring the state statute. As awareness grows, advocates hope that the incidences of shackling during labor will decrease.

In recent years, Pennsylvania legislators have adopted an array of promising prison reforms. In addition to the anti-shackling bill in 2008, Pennsylvania passed several reforms based on research-driven “justice reinvestment” strategies. Like most other states, Pennsylvania’s prisons had grown astronomically in the last 20 years, and so legislators passed laws that improved probation and parole procedures, gave more people access to drug treatment, and reduced recidivism.

Prison reform is a huge public policy arena. Fortunately, the issues involved are occasionally crystal clear, with obvious solutions. By outlawing the shackling of inmates in labor, Pennsylvania has shown a promising desire for reform.

To learn more about the practice of shackling inmates during childbirth, click here.