Documentary of Interest: Prison Lullabies

This documentary takes a look at four women who are being held at the Taconic Correctional Facility in New York. These women, who have been charged with dealing, prostitution and struggling with drug addiction, have found themselves arrested while pregnant. At Taconic, the facility allows pregnant women to keep their babies for the first 18 months while attending classes to help with anger management, basic child care and drug counseling.

Participating in a work release program, all of the women face challenges while making the adjustment to life after prison. Some are successful and others wind up back in the correctional facility. The toll it takes on the children is very visible, with some not even remembering who their mothers were.

Perversion of Justice - Documentary on the effect of mandatory sentencing on mothers

Perversion of Justice is a documentary that takes a look at the effect of mandatory sentences for mothers convicted for actions that are indirectly associated with drug selling/distribution. One mother is sentenced to life in prison for her role in wiring money that is associated with drug sales. The judge presiding over her case was forced to give her life in prison even though he had misgivings due to her having no previous convictions. The woman fought her sentencing and had the life sentence brought down to twelve years. But how does her incarceration affect her children?