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Conjugal Visits End at Parchman by R.L. Nave
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C
olumbus B. Hopper, a sociologist discontinue the practice, citing budgetary sheets, a pillowcase, face towel and a bath at Ole Miss, visited Mississippi reasons and the danger of children being towel for the hour-long visit, and both the State Penitentiary in 1962 to study born to single parents. prisoner and their spouse are searched for the effects of the conjugal visits on “There are costs associated with the contraband afterward. inmate behavior. In talking to prisoners, staff’s time, having to escort inmates to and Recent data show that offering conjugal Hopper found that most had visits benefits both prisoners and a favorable view of conjugal the overall prison population. In visits, which they believed 2012, researchers writing in the helped save marriages, keep American Journal of Criminal families intact, prevent men Justice found that states that from having sex with other have extended family-visitation men and boost morale. programs experience signifi“In this institution, I cantly fewer incidents of sexual have seen less rioting, less hoviolence in their prisons. States mosexuality and an altogether that allowed conjugal visits had different attitude in inmates in 57 incidents of sexual violence general,â€? one single prisoner, per 100,000 inmates compared who had been incarcerated at to 226 incidents per 100,000 several prisons over the course people in prison in states that of seven years, told Hopper. lack conjugal visitation, the Although its precise study found. origins are unclear, Parchman In a 50-state survey conductwas the first penal institution ed in 2012, Yale Law School rein the U.S. to permit conjusearchers called participation in gal visits. Parchman itself was such programs “a powerful inconverted from a plantation centiveâ€? for good behavior. “Alto a penal farm designated lowing conjugal visitation may for African American men at also decrease sexual violence the turn of the 20th century. within prisons. Family members Prison officials of the time beand children who visit and are lieved that blacks had stronger thus able to build and sustain sexual urges than whites and more meaningful relationships Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner that allowing black prisonwith their incarcerated parent Christopher Epps recently announced his agency would eliminate Mississippi’s conjugal visit program. Launched in ers to have sex from time to or family member may benthe early 1900s, Mississippi’s was the first and longest-running time would make them work efit tremendously. Indeed, more conjugal-visit program in the nation. harder during the week, wrote generally, the positive impact of historian David M. Oshinsky visitation on visiting family and in his 1997 book “Worse than on inmates has been well docuSlavery: Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of from the visitation facility, supervising per- mented,â€? the Yale researchers wrote. Jim Crow Justice.â€? sonal hygiene and keeping up the infrastrucHowever, they also cautioned that in Over time, married white men—and, ture of the facility. ‌ Then, even though we order to reap the full benefits, corrections much later, married women—could also provide contraception, we have no idea how policymakers have to invest the resources to receive conjugal visits. Other states also fol- many women are getting pregnant only for keep the visitation programs going. It is unlowed Mississippi and implemented conju- the child to be raised by one parent,â€? Epps clear how much it costs MDOC to run the gal visit programs—called extended family said through a news release. conjugal visit at Parchman. visits in many states—even though debates MDOC officials told the Jackson Free In the last fiscal year, only 155 swirl about whether the programs have real Press that a dollar amount associated orches- people of the more than 22,000 people rehabilitative benefits. Now, Mississippi is trating the visits is unavailable. Epps said under MDOC’s supervision had weekly one of six states, including California, Con- that conjugal visits that have been scheduled conjugal access. necticut, New Mexico, New York and Wash- through Feb. 1 would be allowed. MDOC’s “While both the extended family visiington, that allow conjugal visits. rules state that conjugal visits are open to tation and conjugal visit program involve a The long, storied history of conjugal minimum-security prisoners who must small percentage of inmates, the cost couvisitation in Mississippi will some come to prove they are legally married. pled with big-ticket items adds up,â€? Epps an end, however. After legislators voiced Common-law and same-sex marriages said. “The benefits of the programs don’t complaints, Mississippi Department of Cor- are not eligible nor are inmates with HIV/ outweigh the cost in the overall budget.â€? rections Commissioner Christopher Epps AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. Comment at www.jfp.ms. Email R.L. announced Dec. 15 that the agency would The prison provides soap, condoms, tissue, Nave at rlnave@jacksonfreepress.com.
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