In a move to broaden humane treatment within incarceration facilities, Missouri State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman has made a renewed effort to extend the state's prohibition on the shackling of pregnant women to city and county jails. This legislative push comes seven years after Missouri enacted a ban on such restraints in state prisons. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Coleman highlighted that new data confirms the manageable scope of the issue and the non-burdensome nature of compliance for the Department of Corrections.
The bill Coleman is championing aims not only to ban the use of restraints on pregnant inmates during the third trimester and postpartum periods but also seeks to implement protocols for their holistic care. However, an exception for extraordinary circumstances still allows the application of wrist restraints, provided they are connected in front of the body, prompting better safeguard against potential falls. Advocates of the bill argue that shackling threatens the safety of both mother and child, escalating the risk of harm. "This should only be done when it's necessary, and when it's done you need to document to make sure why it was necessary," Coleman explained to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Backed by an absence of adverse incidents since the initial shackling ban was instituted in 2018, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections' spokesperson Karen Pojmann, the new legislation looks to introduce comprehensive care protocols including mental health evaluations and nutritional plans. As St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, the average number of pregnant inmates at any given time ranges from two to 15, signifying the law's impact could be profound albeit affecting a relatively small group.
While the bill grants some discretion to jail staff, it strictly prohibits the use of leg and ankle restraints and imposes a requirement on health care professionals' recommendations to be followed immediately, adding a layer of medical oversight into the decision-making process. In the event that shackles are deemed necessary, jail officials would have to comprehensively to document the justification for use. Liza Weiss, founder and director of Missouri Appleseed, expressed support for the legislation, citing Coleman's dedicated attention to the health needs of incarcerated women. Weiss told the Missouri Independent, "She’s had a longstanding interest in and commitment to incarcerated women’s health, and we are supportive of the bill."
Despite past legislative hurdles and potential political blocks, such as GOP aims to reestablish state control over the St. Louis Police Department—which Coleman mentioned could hamper progress on various criminal justice bills—the proposed legislation sets Jan. 1, 2026, as the target for all city and county jails to adopt these new standards. This would likely ensure that when women find themselves at the intersection of motherhood and incarceration, their well-being is comprehensively considered within the jurisprudence of Missouri, as detailed by the KSDK.
