Do female prisoners get conjugal visits?
February 18, 2008 9:15 PM Subscribe
[Prison Filter] Do female prisoners get conjugal visits?
If so are they required to use some form of birth control? This question occurred to me when I heard on the radio that 5% of female prisoners are pregnant when they enter prison.
If so are they required to use some form of birth control? This question occurred to me when I heard on the radio that 5% of female prisoners are pregnant when they enter prison.
Federal prisoners get none. Conjugal visitation in general has its problems.
But you're really asking about individual state prison system policies, which may not extend to every facility (for reasons that may range from lack of staff to lack of room). From what I can tell it's certainly extant based on pregnancy rates alone.
You may wish to skim Prison Sex: Practice and Policy at Google Books, esp. from p. 146 on ("Existing Conjugal Visitation Programs in the United States").
posted by dhartung at 10:18 PM on February 18, 2008
But you're really asking about individual state prison system policies, which may not extend to every facility (for reasons that may range from lack of staff to lack of room). From what I can tell it's certainly extant based on pregnancy rates alone.
You may wish to skim Prison Sex: Practice and Policy at Google Books, esp. from p. 146 on ("Existing Conjugal Visitation Programs in the United States").
posted by dhartung at 10:18 PM on February 18, 2008
If the state allows male conjugal visits then yes, I believe they also have to allow females the same privilege. This book states females in Mississippi are allowed visits, and condoms are provided.
posted by sophist at 10:20 PM on February 18, 2008
posted by sophist at 10:20 PM on February 18, 2008
In Canada, yes, female prisoners do get conjugal visits (as for the men, in decorated homey apartments that include an outside garden or at a nearby motel). Most prisoners get "family visits" every two months that last up to 72 hours (if they have no-one to visit prisioners can use the apartments alone). Of course, this can be same-sex relationships too. There is no requirement to use birth control. The National Post had an article about two prisioners that concieved three children on family visits while in prison. This blog argues many US pregnant women are sent to prison because they are pregnant, they are often charged with drug offences including "distributing drugs to a minor". You may find more useful information about Canada's prisons at the Corrections Canada website.
posted by saucysault at 4:30 AM on February 19, 2008
posted by saucysault at 4:30 AM on February 19, 2008
MN also doesn't have any conjugal visits (men or women).
A 5% pregnancy rate seemed like a lot when I first read it, but thats actually probably pretty close to average for women in general.
Apparently the average age for a female inmate seems to be around 28 from various web searches; right in the middle of the babymaking years.
If the average woman has 2 kids (which doesn't take into account miscarriages or aborted pregnancies) and has a ~25 year span for getting pregnant (15-40). That means that she is pregnant for 18 months out of a 300 month span, or 6% of the time.
If we take a little off for women who are imprisoned outside of their fertile years, it's probably right around 5%.
posted by freshgroundpepper at 9:19 PM on February 19, 2008
A 5% pregnancy rate seemed like a lot when I first read it, but thats actually probably pretty close to average for women in general.
Apparently the average age for a female inmate seems to be around 28 from various web searches; right in the middle of the babymaking years.
If the average woman has 2 kids (which doesn't take into account miscarriages or aborted pregnancies) and has a ~25 year span for getting pregnant (15-40). That means that she is pregnant for 18 months out of a 300 month span, or 6% of the time.
If we take a little off for women who are imprisoned outside of their fertile years, it's probably right around 5%.
posted by freshgroundpepper at 9:19 PM on February 19, 2008
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posted by The Straightener at 10:16 PM on February 18, 2008