# Why don't federal prisons have conjugal visits **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735 "2013-06-23T22:54:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [June 24, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/21 "2013-06-24T13:50:34Z")
A weird thing is conjugal visit programs did not originate in some progressive ideal of reform and enlightenment. It was in fact almost the complete opposite. Conjugal visits originated in racism. Conjugal visits started in prison systems in the old south and it was based on the belief that black men were more sexually driven than white men. The belief was that white prisoners could be denied sex and would still behave. But if you didn’t give black prisoners sex they’d be uncontrollable. So informal systems were set up so prisoners could have sex with their wives and girlfriends and be kept “docile”. (I imagine a lot of black prisoners figured “Finally, some racism that’s working in my favor.”) ---
**Author:** ![runningdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@runningdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runningdude)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/22 "2013-06-24T14:33:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Matt is right that the federal prison system doesn’t allow conjugal visits. But he’s wrong in his apparent assumption that it’s routine in state prison systems. Only six states have conjugal visit programs: California, Connecticut, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York and Washington. I’ll assume that the federal system, like most states, doesn’t see it as a necessity. Being from Connecticut, where they are routine, I assumed this was universal. Connecticut can be a strange little bubble at times… ---
**Author:** ![runningdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@runningdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runningdude)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/23 "2013-06-24T14:36:55Z")
> [@Waxwinged](#): > > Conjugal visits seem like a horrible idea.. Wouldn’t they lead to more babies being born to essentially single-mom households? Most prison sentences are shorter than a full pregnancy term (misdemeanors versus felonies). ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/24 "2013-06-24T14:40:24Z")
> [@runningdude](#): > > Most prison sentences are shorter than a full pregnancy term (misdemeanors versus felonies). No, they aren’t. Most prison sentences are at least a year. People convicted of misdemeanors and sentenced to less than a year generally do their time in a local jail. I assume jails don’t typically have conjugal visit programs. ---
**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/25 "2013-06-24T14:41:53Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Conjugal visits may prevent some prison rape Sounds good to me ---
**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:** [June 24, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/26 "2013-06-24T14:42:36Z")
> [@runningdude](#): > > Most prison sentences are shorter than a full pregnancy term (misdemeanors versus felonies). Misdemeanors and sentences less than one year generally go to jail, not prison. And I doubt that many jails have conjugal visits. ETA: or what **friedo** said. Conjugal visits would increase my workload by bringing in more STDs. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/27 "2013-06-24T15:15:57Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > Sounds good to me Then say that. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/28 "2013-06-24T15:31:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by matt357 View Post > discourage homosexuality I assume that if you’re in a SSM, a conjugal visit would actually encourage homosexuality. ---
**Author:** ![matt357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@matt357](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt357)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/29 "2013-06-25T18:29:04Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I assume that if you’re in a SSM, a conjugal visit would actually encourage homosexuality. Most prisoners aren’t in a same sex marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/30 "2013-06-25T18:44:47Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Conjugal visits would increase my workload by bringing in more STDs. Job security and you might get a raise. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/31 "2013-06-25T19:19:40Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Job security and you might get a raise. I suspect neither would be much of an inducement for our dear **QtM** , given the headaches such a policy would bring. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/32 "2013-06-25T19:22:45Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > Most prisoners aren’t in a same sex marriage. And if they were? ---
**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:** [June 25, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/33 "2013-06-25T19:36:08Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > And if they were? At least two states (California and New York) which have conjugal visits recognize same-sex marriages for the purpose of the program. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/34 "2013-06-25T19:43:44Z")
> [@matt357](#): > > Most prisoners aren’t in a same sex marriage. Well, it’s a new thing most places. It will probably become more common in the years ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/35 "2013-06-25T19:50:04Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > LMWTFY: [Conjugal visit - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjugal_visit#United_States) You just wanted to use the abbreviation and make me look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/36 "2013-06-25T19:53:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A weird thing is conjugal visit programs did not originate in some progressive ideal of reform and enlightenment. It was in fact almost the complete opposite. Conjugal visits originated in racism. > > Conjugal visits started in prison systems in the old south and it was based on the belief that black men were more sexually driven than white men. The belief was that white prisoners could be denied sex and would still behave. But if you didn’t give black prisoners sex they’d be uncontrollable. So informal systems were set up so prisoners could have sex with their wives and girlfriends and be kept “docile”. (_I imagine a lot of black prisoners figured “Finally, some racism that’s working in my favor.”)_ Italics added. 😃 I’ve heard/read that the Mossad (truly) has capitalized on some anti-Semitic tropes of the all-seeing hidden power of Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/37 "2013-06-25T23:20:50Z")
While we’re at it maybe we should provide frozen yogurt machines, maybe if we coddle prisoners they won’t be so inclined to set fire to their mattresses. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/38 "2013-06-26T01:39:01Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > And if they were? Oh, for Pete’s sake, stop with the hijack. Sometimes, I swear, Dopers are more interested in beating others into conformity with their beliefs than discussing the topic. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/39 "2013-06-26T02:01:31Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > While we’re at it maybe we should provide frozen yogurt machines, maybe if we coddle prisoners they won’t be so inclined to set fire to their mattresses. You can’t coddle them without conjugal visits! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735/40 "2013-06-26T02:03:42Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Oh, for Pete’s sake, stop with the hijack. Sometimes, I swear, Dopers are more interested in beating others into conformity with their beliefs than discussing the topic. The OP topic included the issue of homosexuality and conjugal visits. No hijack here. Now, the precise question that was asked concerned the lack of conjugal visits in federal prisons. They just don’t. Perhaps the BOP thinks it would be too much logistical effort. Remember also that in many cases (most?), the federal prisoner is much much further from home. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-federal-prisons-have-conjugal-visits/661735.md?page=3)