NAWJ CALLS ON THE SUPPORT OF THE CONFERENCE OF CHIEF JUSTICES TO OPPOSE POLICIES THAT ALLOW SHACKLING INCARCERATED PREGNANT WOMEN IN TRANSPORATION, LABOR AND CHILDBIRTH

The Women in Prison Committee sent the following Resolution to the Conference of Chief Judges urging the Conference to take a position opposing policies that permit shackling incarcerated pregnant women in transportation, in labor, and in child birth. The Women in Prison Committee is hopeful that through its active members within the Conference, NAWJ can persuade the Conference of Chief Judges to adopt the measure. Current NAWJ members in the Conference of Chief Justices include: Chief Judge Mary Mullarkey, Colorado Supreme Court; Chief Judge Chase T. Rogers, Connecticut Supreme Court; Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; Chief Judge Laura Denvir Stith, Missouri Supreme Court; Chief Judge Sarah Parker, North Carolina Supreme Court; Chief Judge Maureen McKenna Goldberg, Rhode Island Supreme Court; Chief Judge Jean Hoefer Toal, South Carolina Supreme Court; Chief Justice Janice M. Holder, Tennessee Supreme Court; Chief Judge Christine Durham, Utah Supreme Court; and Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson, Wisconsin Supreme Court.

A current draft of the Resolution may be found here.

NAWJ's Women in Prison Committee consist of co-chairs Hon. Brenda P. Murray and Hon. Betty J. Williams, and members Hon. Rita J. Baird, Hon. Susan Criss, Hon. Elisabeth Ashlea Earle, Hon. Laura Safer Espinoza, Hon. Debra A. James, Hon. Bernette J. Johnson, Hon. Joan Madden, Hon. Anne-Christine Massullo, and Hon. Renee Worke.

For more information contact Marie Komisar at (202) 393-0222.