The latest available Illinois figures show 1,715 women in prison, and the percentage estimated to have minor children is 80.86 percent. Society is incurring extraordinary costs to maintain the policy of imprisoning mothers for many crimes that were formerly punishable by probation. The incentives of current policy favor placing the children of inmates in foster care rather than in the care of relatives. Although relatives may be licensed to receive the amount paid to foster care families, some critics believe the screening process focuses too much on the condition of physical facilities rather than the quality of the relationship. This article describes five programs developed in various States for the children of inmates. They include inmate family support services in the community, provision for more frequent and intensive visits between inmate mothers and their children, a program that allows inmates who give birth in prison to keep their babies with them for up to 1 year, frequent-furlough programs, and facilitation of the transition from prison to parenting in the community. Programs operating in Illinois are also described. 32 footnotes