Caged Beginnings: The Influence of Mexican Prison Infrastructure on the Early Development of Children with Incarcerated Mothers

In Mexico, the National Criminal Execution Law since 2016 grants incarcerated women the right to maintain custody of their children under three years of age within the Penitentiary Center. By 2021, there were 344 children living their early childhood in these facilities. However, only 43 out of 317 prisons had facilities for the education and development of these children, despite the General Law of Children in Mexico emphasizing the need for appropriate infrastructure and recreational spaces. The current state of these facilities is deficient, with shared beds and limited space for cribs. This research project aims to investigate how the living conditions of these children, comparing prisons in states with adequate facilities versus those without, impact their socio-emotional and psycho-emotional development, focusing on the dignity and well-being of children growing up with their incarcerated mothers.