Pregnancy is a precarious condition no matter who you are. But being kept in restraints puts a woman and her unborn child in an even more perilous position.  

It is a well-known fact that the majority of female inmates are non-violent offenders. Keeping a woman in restraints well into her second and third trimester of pregnancy is not only dangerous , but blatantly inhumane.  While we, of course, do not want to put our law enforcement officers in harm’s way, there is a need to better accommodate pregnant inmates that protects her and her unborn child’s health and safety - as well as preserves the mother’s dignity.

We ask the Board to find a commonsense balance between protecting law enforcement and the public’s safety while ensuring a pregnant inmate’s wellbeing and her unborn child’s throughout her pregnancy.  

Women and their unborn children deserve better.    Virginia can do better. Thank you for your consideration.

Most sincerely,

Tarina Keene

Executive Director

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia