Beyond Limits

The shadow cast by maternal incarceration is long, felt most acutely not by the state, but by children left on the outside or women who serve their sentences accompanied by their children. Having served a six-month sentence, I carry the harrowing memory of leaving a child behind. While my family ensured my daughter’s physical needs were met, no material provision fills the psychological void created by a mother’s absence. Reintegration is rarely a simple "coming home"; it is an arduous journey of rebuilding trust severed by a prison gate. This trauma sits deep, often eroding a child’s confidence for a lifetime. Against this backdrop, I view the progressive strides within the Kenyan Criminal Justice System with profound hope. There is a growing recognition that probationary and non-custodial sentences for women are superior to short-term imprisonment. By prioritising Community Service Orders, the system acknowledges that the "best interests of the child" must be a pr...