A convict can take his young son to jail, provided he wishes to stay with him. Though this provision is there in the state jails, hardly any male convict has exercised this option so far. Women prisoners can keep their young children, up to six years of age, in jail and such a provision exists in the State Prison for Women at Chanchalguda, Hyderabad, and also at Rajahmundry and Vizag.

Until two years ago, only children up to the age of five years could stay with their mothers but now the facility has been extended up to six years. The children are given a special diet and are even sent to an outside school.  According to sources, much as the jail authorities are taking interest in the education of the children, it is learnt that transporting them to school and back has become a problem. The prisons department has asked the women and child welfare department to provide a vehicle for the benefit of the children.  However, no vehicle has been provided so far. Addl IG (jails) B Sunil Kumar told TOI that after the age of six, children are sent to orphanages. If both the parents of the child are in prisons, their relatives are given the option to take care of the children. However, if no relatives come forward and if the parents wish to, they are sent to orphanages. What, however, is being noticed in some cases is that even after the release of the parents or one of the parents, the child is not being taken back. Though the orphanages are willing to take care of the children so long as their parents are in prison, they expect the parents to take them back after their release.