The law was passed in response to the growing number of children remaining in foster care. Unfortunately, the law provides that parental rights are terminated if a child has been in out-of-home care for 15 of the previous 22 months (Allen, S., Flaherty, C., & Ely, G. 2010). According to the Women's Prison Association, the average prison sentence for a woman is 18 months. The article clearly explains how mandatory drug sentencing laws are rapidly leading to the dismissal of the incarcerated mother's parents