Should criminal mothers be kept out of prison?

[FourOneFourOne]

If a mother is convicted of a non-violent crime, should the courts take the fact that she has a child into account?

[boro_boy]

They have to really. Unless they put the child in care why she's in prison. Prison will do the mother no good, if she is steeling for drug taking then the child should be taken off her for good.

[cliffy]

undecided. being a parent makes you think about it abit more.

[Gary]

Do the crime do the time. If she loses her kid she's only got herself to blame.

[KeyserSoze]

Non-Violent crime is just as bad as violent crime, ripping a family off for thousands isn't violent but it's still low, doing drugs isn't violent, but it's also low.

If a mother has to turn to crime in order to make a living for her child then the child shouldn't be with her, if a mother is doing crime for the sake of it, she isn't responsible enough in the first place.

I think mothers are allowed to have some time with children anyway when it comes to mothers being locked up, so they're not at a complete loss even though they should be.

I think having a child does actually come into account though, although my personal opinion is that it shouldn't in most cases.