The law was passed in response to the growing number of children in foster care. Unfortunately, the law requires that parental rights end if a child has been in care outside the family home 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 given to a woman is 18 months. Article clearly explains how mandatory drug sentencing laws quickly lead to incarcerated mother's parents being fired.