Birth Behind Bars

May 28, 2024

Recent deaths of babies born in custody have sparked calls to further limit or prohibit the incarceration of pregnant offenders.

As of 1 April 2024, most offence-specific sentencing guidelines include a dedicated mitigating factor: ‘pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care’. Read more: [Sentencing Council]

Zoë Chapman has written an opinion piece for New Law Journal which examines whether the new mitigating factor is enough to protect the rights and safety of pregnant and post-natal offenders and whether the measures go far enough.

Read more: [New Law Journal ]