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Senator Berrino Says Judges Must Decide Prison Delays for Mothers After Outrage

The clarification follows criticism of his remarks on women bearing children to avoid jail during debate over a bill that would let judges grant voluntary sentence delays for pregnant inmates with infants.

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Overview

  • Berrino ignited protests in the Senate by calling women who have children to evade prison “not worthy” of motherhood.
  • Opposition senators denounced his language as cruel and staged show-of-force protests, with calls for official censure.
  • The draft security decree would remove the mandatory delay of imprisonment for pregnant women and new mothers, making it subject to judicial discretion.
  • Berrino insisted his proposal appoints judges to assess if a child is safer in prison than at home with delinquent parents as a last resort.
  • Lawmakers remain divided over the measure, with critics warning it could harm maternal and child welfare despite targeting abuses of the current system.