Should mothers who give birth in prison be allowed to keep their newborns with them?

A trial program in Vancouver that allowed incarcerated mothers of newborns to keep their babies with them during their prison terms was apparently a success in terms of outcomes for the children -- in that more of those children remained with their mothers for the long run rather than ending up in the foster care system. The program was cancelled and people have argued against it on two main grounds: first that it violates the rights of the child, and second that it "softens" the experience of being in jail, making it less effective as a punishment. The program was available only to non-violent offenders. Does a program like this violate anyone's rights in principle, or does it undermine the proper purpose of the penal system?

Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/Court+case+will+decide+whether+mothers+keep+their+babies/8374221/story.html