# Should Prisons Supply Condoms for Inmates? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 3, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880 "2005-12-03T06:34:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/21 "2005-12-03T22:46:38Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > From my experience with friends in the corrections business it’s going to vary a lot from institution to institution. I know someone that was actually in prison and he said rape happened but it wasn’t that wide spread. A police officer I know that used to work in a prison said it was pretty wide spread in the prison he worked in, and a woman who goes to my church is a nurse at a regional jail and she said incidents of rape were fairly rare. I think part of the discrepancy may be differing opinions about what, exactly, constitutes “rape.” The nurse may have been speaking of forcible sodomy severe enough to warrant medical care for the victim; the police officer may have been speaking about coerced intercourse that may not have involved physical force. ---
**Author:** ![AUTISTICWEREWOLF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@AUTISTICWEREWOLF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AUTISTICWEREWOLF)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/22 "2013-07-06T01:03:36Z")
I do not think prisons should give condoms to inmates. The purpose of jail is to be set apart from society for acting in a manner that harms others. There is no right to socialize in prison. The reason people are sent to prison is because; they do not care for the rights of others. I don’t think the fact that forced man on man sex happens in prison eludes criminals who commit crimes. Forced sex and coerced sex are flip sides of the same coin. Coercion is just the form some force takes. If a weaker man rapes another by holding a knife to his throat and another stronger man says, if you don’t let me rape you I’ll break both your legs the result is the same. Physical abuse and psychological abuse are both still abuse. Society considers prisons our collective trashcans, when you throw away a paper cup you don’t worry about its safety from vermin, the elements and people who might root around in dust bins. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/23 "2013-07-06T04:02:22Z")
Except most convicts get returned to society, unlike disposable paper cups. We really to think about whether we want to have angry paper cups with a chip on their shoulder back in the cupboard. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/24 "2013-07-06T06:15:30Z")
Not to mention solitary confinement is considered a punishment, and that is about the only way you will prevent coercion/rape - absolute lack of contact between prisoners. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/25 "2013-07-06T22:34:29Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Otherwise, I think condoms in prison are a good idea. It would prevent the transmission of some diseases, and HIV is damn expensive to treat. Are condoms sold in the prison commissary at your institution? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/26 "2013-07-07T17:19:44Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Are condoms sold in the prison commissary at your institution? Nope. Not anywhere in our state system. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/27 "2013-07-07T20:44:27Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Nope. Not anywhere in our state system. Seems like selling them would avoid the ‘problem’ of them being a “gift” from taxpayers to prisoners, then. Are prisoners able to receive condoms from their relatives, or are condoms classed as ‘contraband’ by the prison authorities? If so, do you know the black-market price of a condom in your institution? ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/28 "2013-07-07T21:59:43Z")
How about male prisoners and female prisoners have regular meetings with mandatory birth control. Of course this would only be for prisoners that follow the rules and meet certain guidelines. This would give prisoners incentive to be good. Also there would be less rape hopefully. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/29 "2013-07-07T22:55:06Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Seems like selling them would avoid the ‘problem’ of them being a “gift” from taxpayers to prisoners, then. > > Are prisoners able to receive condoms from their relatives, or are condoms classed as ‘contraband’ by the prison authorities? If so, do you know the black-market price of a condom in your institution? They’re contraband. The politicians and vocal citizens of our state would pitch a fit if the Department allowed inmates access to them, even on their own dime. I also shudder to think of the uses they’d put them to, like convenient pouches to store drugs and other contraband in and stuff up their behinds to avoid cell searches, and also convenient receptacles for brewing prison hooch, just to name two. Handy garrots, too. (3) I’ve no idea their relative value. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/30 "2013-07-07T23:08:50Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > How about male prisoners and female prisoners have regular meetings with mandatory birth control. Of course this would only be for prisoners that follow the rules and meet certain guidelines. > This would give prisoners incentive to be good. Also there would be less rape hopefully. Are you suggesting we run prison mixers? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/31 "2013-07-07T23:26:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Are you suggesting we run prison mixers? “Okay kids, today we’re gonna give the report on how our mothers and father’s met.” ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/32 "2013-07-07T23:35:37Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > They’re contraband. … stuff up their behinds… convenient receptacles for brewing prison hooch,. Yes, this is brilliant! The hooch would ferment much faster at body temp than under a bunk. so you get the whole process done much faster. And the beverage comes in single-serving containers! (Hope that doesn’t break the rule that every quote is sacred) :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880/33 "2013-07-08T03:07:28Z")
As it is, we have to keep a careful inventory of rubber gloves. Otherwise prisoners will cut off the fingers and use those for hiding drugs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-prisons-supply-condoms-for-inmates/333880.md?page=1)