Shackled Mothers?

David Paterson signed a bill that makes it illegal in most cases to shackle a prison inmate during childbirth. [AP/CBS6]

How often does this happen that we need a law?  The article indicated that it was because some of these mothers may be a threat to themselves.  They certainly are not a flight risk.  I have some friends that either were (Welcome to the world, Myla, you are beautiful and you have two of the greatest people in the world as parents) heavy with child recently or are ready to pop like a tick three days too long on a Basset hound (but you are going to be a great older brother, TEA, and I wish that I had an older brother like you) and walking for these women was difficult.

Now, these could be women like the ones on I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant  and maybe they aren't showing and they are going to run and leave their baby behind but...

That seems really unlikely.

So...

It had been the policy of New York State (until Gov. Paterson changed it) to shackle women to the bed during child birth...I had to type that out again because it seems horrific.

via AoA