The Virginia House of Delegates just killed a bill that would have ceased requiring that female inmates be shackled during labor. From Dan Casey at the Roanoke Times:

Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge and chairman of the subcommittee, replied: “Does it show concern for the child for the mother to engage in criminal activity when she knows she’s pregnant? Do you agree choices have consequences?”

Is there any other way to read that quote, other than that incarcerated moms in labor deserve to be treated as inhumanely as possible, because they had the temerity to get locked up after they were impregnated? He makes it sound as the state should meting out an extra measure of cruelty because of the woman’s mistake.

It verges on a “revenge” theme. How despicable. Is that what criminal justice in Virginia has come to?