NEWS: California is considering allowing prison inmates to receive condoms .

The state of California is considering letting inmates in its prison system have access to condoms and dental dams. Sex behind bars is prohibited, but Assembly Member Paul Koretz, points out that it occurs anyway. The state currently incarcerates 162,000 inmates and the proposal has set off heated debate with some lawmakers worried that tacit approval for sex behind bars would be assumed. Vermont and Mississippi also allow condom distribution in prisons, as do Canada, most of Western Europe and parts of Latin America.



I fail to see why this is considered wrong. Sex is going to happen behind bars and since the taxpayer is going to picking up the tab to take care of incarcerated victims of AIDS, hepatitis, et al, why not have a little prevention. unless you are going to lock them down 24/7 you cannot stop it. The article point to a 30% rate in federal prisons. If you can cut down disease transmission rates in half, you could sale untold millions in expenses.

Lol...Good idea- they're going to do it regardless so why not.

You never know when someone might want you as their girlfriend, i guess.

I think it's a good idea. If it's going to be happening regardless of the rules, provide protection. Not allowing condoms to be availible because sex is against the rules isn't a good idea. It's happening anyway and I think this is an appropriate way to deal with it.
It's the same with kids in highschool. You're going to tell them not to have sex, but at the same time, condoms and other forms of protection should be availible to them because some are going to do them anyway.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Lol...Good idea- they're going to do it regardless so why not.
You never know when someone might want you as their girlfriend, i guess.

I don't see why anybody opposes it, but there are practical aspects as well. i doubt the agressor will stop in his tracks and say &*^% I forgot my condom, be right back

Ahhh, but if the agresee is smart, he'll say wait- lets use protection.

Side note: I wonder if these rubber products can be swallowed and used to choke oneself and end ones life??!!!

Let me clarify what i mean...I just realized what some of you could be thinking...
I mean that some of these prisoners may indeed want suicide as a way out and would purposely swallow some of these?

I cant seem to get out of this mess*

[edit on 28-2-2005 by dgtempe]

I see what you are saying DGTempe. If I had a hold of one of those oral condoms and a couple boyz were coming into my cell to use and abuse me, I would love to kill myself first.

They should find a way to prevent unwanted prison sex while they are at it. Worry about spreading disease to those who aren't willing participants, and take care of the others second.

Sounds like a stellar idea. We wouldn't want STDs to act as a deterrent for prison rape or anything. If I were going to prison I think I'd go out and contract herpes on purpose to protect myself.

I know that prison is really just intended to be a vacation for people those who have such high stress levels that they comit crimes by no fault of their own, but in this case I think we have to make their fun a secondary concern to health conditions and personal security for those people under government control.
I'm offering a counter proposal. Indefinate stays in solitary confinement and/or castration for those who develop sexually predatory patterns of conduct in prison.
We don't need STD epidemics in our prisons (thats a danger for the guards too you know, because when a bunch of violent felons have biological weapons coursing through their veins you dont have to have sex to get screwed). We also can't have our prisons serving as farms for the growth of sexual predators.

It a punishment, not a trip to the amusement park! Welcome to Federal Prison, my name is BOSS and I will be your warden for the next 20 to live years. Dicard all drugs and weapons, keep your hands and genitals to yourself at all times, and please, no flash photography. Please notice the complete lack of emergency exits and the men with shotguns on the walls. In the event of an emergency assume the prone position with your hands behind your head or you will be shot. Don't enjoy your say, and once again, thankyou for choosing Federal Prison.

This is utterly stupid. It's illegal to have sex, but here's your monthly supply of rubbers. Haven't these guys heard of Mary Palm and her five dauthers. I say chemically castrate them all while they're in prison and if you catch them touching something that's not theirs, beat them to death.

I think its a good idea, as the people whom have posted before me have said, its going to happen anyways.

This is utterly stupid. It's illegal to have sex, but here's your monthly supply of rubbers. Haven't these guys heard of Mary Palm and her five dauthers. I say chemically castrate them all while they're in prison and if you catch them touching something that's not theirs, beat them to death.

So just because someone was smoking pot your going to castrate them?
And killing people does not solve anything.
That kind of thing will never happen, the prison system / government, wold have every rights group in the country on their ass, no pun intended.

Originally posted by iori_komei
So just because someone was smoking pot your going to castrate them?
And killing people does not solve anything.

I don't have the numbers, so I honestly am asking this as a question, but exactly what percentage of the prison population is there for smoking weed? Make sure the answer just includes pot smokers, not dealers or hard drug users?
I was under the impression that most of the people in prison have hurt people, tried to hurt people, or engaged in crimes that could reasonably lead to people getting hurt.
Now if you have a population of violent indivduals who have a tendency to get more violent while they are there already, I'd think that we should be providing STRONG incentives for them not to develop any new predatory behaviors.
If an already violent criminal goes to prison and gets in the habit of taking what he wants when he wants it, and gets to enjoy that, what do you suppose is going to happen when he gets out, every time he has trouble with women?

Originally posted by iori_komei
I think its a good idea, as the people whom have posted before me have said, its going to happen anyways.

Well, why put people in jail to begin with? Crime is just going to happen anyway. Why make murder a crime? The victims are just going to die anyway. Why make burglary a crime? It's just property. Why make rape a crime? Women want sex anyway? Heck! Let's just issue prisoners giant tubs of KY, while were at it.

[edit on 05/3/1 by GradyPhilpott]

Grady, what is your solution short of locking them up in solitary?

Somehow I missed that first part of his post. Grady is dead on. We can't seem to stop gang violence so there's only one thing to do really... let's just hand out guns at school so at least everybody has protection.

EDIT: Fred, why short of locking them up in solitary? That sounds like the most humane way to stop it from happening (compared to castration). Do wrong, get punished. It sounds like it just might work. Despite the crime problem, that system actually has worked to turn the majority of the population into functioning and mostly law-abiding adults. I'm assuming that most of us here are old enough that our parents did punish us when we were bad, right?

[edit on 1-3-2005 by The Vagabond]

Seriously, how can we say sex in prison is unlawful, and then hand out condoms?

Should we hand out needles too, to help prevent disease?

But even in federal prisons (and we are not talking about Club Fed's here) its still at a 30% level. People will find a way no matter what. This is sort of the smae question with clean needle giveaways. IT does stop infections. Give the condoms out and step up enforcement.

But if it's illegal to have sex, who will step forward to get the offered condoms?

Originally posted by quango
But if it's illegal to have sex, who will step forward to get the offered condoms?

I doubt it would be a raise your hand kind of deal. But Im not sure, the article did not go ino specifics about distribution plans. Maybe one would be issued a week or something instead of a mint under your pillow

Originally posted by quango
But if it's illegal to have sex, who will step forward to get the offered condoms?

I doubt it would be a raise your hand kind of deal. But Im not sure, the article did not go ino specifics about distribution plans. Maybe one would be issued a week or something instead of a mint under your pillow

I like this article you posted..lol
At least it will lower std's, and pregnancies within the prisons. I think this is a good idea, it should have been done sooner.

Originally posted by FredT

Originally posted by quango
But if it's illegal to have sex, who will step forward to get the offered condoms?

I doubt it would be a raise your hand kind of deal. But Im not sure, the article did not go ino specifics about distribution plans. Maybe one would be issued a week or something instead of a mint under your pillow

Yeah - I mean, I'm not against this, but I don't see how helpful it will really be. Like someone said, how many prison inmates are concerned about grabbing a condom beforehand.

Still - saving money and slowing AIDS are good things. It's just a strange message. Like a parent to a kid - "Don't go in the cookie jar. There are napkins on the table." Or some similiar analogy.