Jail should meet children’s needs

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I am letting you know about a rule preventing poor, heartbroken little children from seeing their fathers or mothers in the Whiteside County Jail.

This is very cruel of the county, no doubt. Many people and families are fed up that their grandchildren, nieces, nephews and mothers of children whose fathers are in jail are not being allowed to see their loved ones.

My view of the rule is like this. A kindergarten child behaves badly – he/she is removed from class, talked to, and the parent is contacted. Class will continue; it’s not ruled closed for the remainder of the day or forever.

Visits at the county jail should be handled no differently. The visiting family could remove a visiting child if behaving badly. “One bad apple is no reason to cut down the tree.” A sign can boldly state: “Will not tolerate bad behavior, bad manners and foul language, and that children be seated and hand-held if standing.”

Children need to see their loved ones to cope with being without them at home, school pickup, and at the dinner table. At this young age, this situation is mentally unhealthy and heartbreaking. Children tend to be less obedient because of their loved one’s absence.

Why rule out their visits and hurt them more? They’re puzzled by their parent’s absence as it is. Please meet the children’s needs.

Note to readers – Federico Cantu is an inmate in the Whiteside County Jail, Morrison.

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