Policing the womb : invisible women and the criminalization of motherhood

Policing The Womb brings to life the chilling ways in which women have become the targets of secretive state surveillance of their pregnancies. Michele Goodwin expands the reproductive health and rights debate beyond abortion to include how legislators increasingly turn to criminalizing women for miscarriages, stillbirths, and threatening the health of their pregnancies. The horrific results include women giving birth while shackled in leg irons, in solitary confinement, and even delivering in prison toilets. In some states, pregnancy has become a bargaining chip with prosecutors offering reduced sentences in exchange for women agreeing to be sterilized. The author shows how prosecutors may abuse laws and infringe women's rights in the process, sometimes with the complicity of medical providers who disclose private patient information to law enforcement. Often the women most affected are poor and of color. Goodwin warns, however, poor women are simply the canaries in the coalmine as some legislators now claim that women's constitutional rights equal that of embryos and fetuses. In this timely book, Michele Goodwin brings to light how the unrestrained efforts to punish and police women's reproduction has led to the United States being the deadliest country in the developed world for pregnant women. "[This book] brings to life the chilling ways in which women have become the targets of secretive state surveillance of their pregnancies. Michele Goodwin expands the reproductive health and rights debate beyond abortion to include how legislators increasingly turn to criminalizing women for miscarriages, stillbirths, and threatening the health of their pregnancies. The horrific results include women giving birth while shackled in leg irons, in solitary confinement, and even delivering in prison toilets. In some states, pregnancy has become a bargaining chip with prosecutors offering reduced sentences in exchange for women agreeing to be sterilized. The author shows how prosecutors may abuse laws and infringe women's rights in the process, sometimes with the complicity of medical providers who disclose private patient information to law enforcement. Often the women most affected are poor and of color. This timely book brings to light how the unrestrained efforts to punish and police women's bodies have led to the United States being the deadliest country in the developed world to be pregnant"-- Publisher's website Policing The Womb Brings To Life The Chilling Ways In Which Women Have Become The Targets Of Secretive State Surveillance Of Their Pregnancies. Michele Goodwin Expands The Reproductive Health And Rights Debate Beyond Abortion To Include How Legislators Increasingly Turn To Criminalizing Women For Miscarriages, Stillbirths, And Threatening The Health Of Their Pregnancies. The Horrific Results Include Women Giving Birth While Shackled In Leg Irons, In Solitary Confinement, And Even Delivering In Prison Toilets. In Some States, Pregnancy Has Become A Bargaining Chip With Prosecutors Offering Reduced Sentences In Exchange For Women Agreeing To Be Sterilized. The Author Shows How Prosecutors May Abuse Laws And Infringe Women's Rights In The Process, Sometimes With The Complicity Of Medical Providers Who Disclose Private Patient Information To Law Enforcement. Often The Women Most Affected Are Poor And Of Color. This Timely Book Brings To Light How The Unrestrained Efforts To Punish And Police Women's Bodies Have Led To The United States Being The Deadliest Country In The Developed World To Be Pregnant. "This is not a work of fiction, although I wish it were. Some of the cases described here could evoke the imagery evoked by Mary Shelly, author of Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, who tells a horror story about a young, rogue scientist who creates an unsightly monster through clandestine, aberrant experimentation. Although Frankenstein is the name of the monster's creator, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, readers would be forgiven for debating who the real monster happens to be. In Policing the Womb, the story of Marlise Muñoz comes to mind. Brain dead, decomposing in a Texas hospital, under legislation from the state, forced to gestate a barely developing fetus while her body decays and the anomalies in the fetus mount. Eventually, it will be reported that the fetus is hydrocephalic, which means severe brain damage in this case and water or fluid developing on its brain. Medical reports will also show that the fetus is not developing its lower extremities. The state knows brain death is irreversible"-- Provided by publisher In Policing the Womb, Michele Goodwin explores how states abuse laws and infringe on rights to police women and their pregnancies. This book looks at the impact of these often arbitrary laws which can result in the punishment, incarceration, and humiliation of women, particularly poor women and women of color. Frequently based on unscientific claims of endangering a fetus, these laws allow extraordinary powers to state authorities over reproductive freedom and pregnancies. In this book, Michele Goodwin discusses real examples of women whose pregnancies have been controlled by the law and what has led to the United States being the deadliest country in the developed world for a woman to be pregnant. 03.0_pp_iv_iv_Copyright_page 04.0_pp_v_vi_Dedication 05.0_pp_vii_viii_Contents preface-2020 introduction-2020 pregnancy-and-state-power-2020 creeping-criminalization-of-pregnancy-across-the-united-states-2020 abortion-law-2020 changing-roles-of-doctors-and-nurses-hospital-snitches-and-polic-2020 revisiting-the-fiduciary-relationship-2020 creating-criminals-race-stereotypes-and-collateral-damage-2020 the-pregnancy-penalty-when-the-state-gets-it-wrong-2020 policing-beyond-the-border-2020 lessons-for-law-and-society-a-reproductive-justice-new-deal-or-b-2020 conclusion-2020 epilogue-2020 notes-2020 select-bibliography-2020 index-2020 This book tells the hidden story of the criminalization of pregnant women, including how doctors reveal women's confidential medical history to law enforcement and prosecutors, and how states increasingly enact laws that criminalize all manner of conduct during pregnancy.