COMMENTS

  1. States That Allow Conjugal Visits

    In 1993, 17 states had conjugal visitation programs. By the 2000s, that number was down to six, with only California, Connecticut, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, and Washington allowing such visits. And by 2015, Mississippi and New Mexico eliminated their programs. For the most part, states no longer refer to "conjugal" visits.

  2. Handbook for Family and Friends of Offenders

    Helpful Information. General Information - call the prison where your relative or friend is housed.; Specific Offender Information - contact the offender's case manager at the prison.; The prison chaplain or designated religious services staff can help you.; Always follow the prison rules where your relative or friend is housed.; Find more information here or call 1-800-368-1985 or 919-838-4000.

  3. Which states allow conjugal visits?

    There are only four U.S. states that currently allow conjugal visits, often called "extended" or "family" visits: California, Connecticut, New York, and Washington. Some people say Connecticut's program doesn't count though, when it comes to conjugals—and the Connecticut Department of Corrections agrees. Their family visit program is ...

  4. Prison Visitation

    Visits to offenders are by appointment only. Call the prison where the offender is housed to schedule an appointment. Visitors should call the prison the day before a scheduled visit to confirm the facility's visitation status. Also, video visitation now is available at most but not all prisons, so family and friends may be able to do a virtual ...

  5. How Do Conjugal Visits Work?

    A conjugal visit is a popular practice that allows inmates to spend time alone with their loved one (s), particularly a significant other, while incarcerated. By implication, and candidly, conjugal visits afford prisoners an opportunity to, among other things, engage their significant other sexually. However, in actual content, such visits go ...

  6. The Process and Regulations for Conducting Conjugal Visits in ...

    Conjugal visits started back in the 20th century in the United States. The very first conjugal visit (at least the first documented) was in Mississippi in 1918. These visits were initially designed to help maintain family ties. They also helped reduce sexual tensions in prison. After Mississippi started a program, other states followed.

  7. Conjugal visit

    A conjugal visit is a scheduled period in which an inmate of a prison or jail is permitted to spend several hours or days in private with a visitor. The visitor is usually their legal spouse. The generally recognized basis for permitting such visits in modern times is to preserve family bonds and increase the chances of success for a prisoner's eventual return to ordinary life after release ...

  8. Conjugal Visits

    Conjugal visits began around 1918 at Parchman Farm, a labor camp in Mississippi. At first, the visits were for black prisoners only, and the visitors were local prostitutes, who arrived on Sundays and were paid to service both married and single inmates. According to historian David Oshinsky, Jim Crow-era prison officials believed African ...

  9. Visitation

    The visitor is an ex-offender that has not been release for a minimum of 12 months. The visitor is on probation/parole or supervised release or has not been off probation or supervised release for a minimum of 6 months. * There may be exceptions for these rules for immediate family members. Inmate Visitation List.

  10. Death Row Prisoners: Visitation Rights

    Conjugal Visits. One type of contact visit is the conjugal or extended family visit. Conjugal visits are usually longer (sometimes lasting a few days) and take place in private rooms or trailers. Prisoners who have conjugal visits with their spouses may have sexual relations. Proponents argue that conjugal visits maintain family ties, and some ...

  11. So What are the Actual Rules with Conjugal Visits and How Did They Get

    In fact, in New York, it's reported that around 40% of conjugal visits don't include a spouse or the like, rather often just children and other loved ones. For this reason, these visits are usually officially called things like "Extended Family Visits" or, in New York, the "Family Reunion Program". As one California inmate summed up ...

  12. Benefits and risks of conjugal visits in prison: A systematic

    Imprisonment impacts on lives beyond the prisoner's. In particular, family and intimate relationships are affected. Only some countries permit private conjugal visits in prison between a prisoner and community living partner. Aims. Our aim was to find evidence from published international literature on the safety, benefits or harms of such visits.

  13. What is a conjugal visit?

    Conjugal visits are private visits that allow married couples to spend time alone, engaging in companionship and sexual relations. They are also for families to reunite (up to three family members), where children and siblings can be a part of the visit, as well (in Connecticut, children are required to be part of the conjugal visit). They are ...

  14. Pros and Cons of Conjugal Visits

    Enhancing Inmate Mental Well-being. Conjugal visits have been shown to positively impact inmate mental well-being by fostering emotional connection and providing a sense of normalcy within the prison environment. These visits allow inmates to maintain relationships with their partners or spouses, which can help reduce feelings of isolation and ...

  15. Conjugal Visit Laws by State 2024

    Conjugal visits began as a way for an incarcerated partner to spend private time with their domestic partner, spouse, or life partner. Historically, these were granted as a result of mental health as well as some rights that have since been argued in court. For example, cases have gone to the Supreme Court which have been filed as visits being ...

  16. What States Allow Conjugal Visits?

    Only Four States Still Allow Conjugal Visits. As of 2015, the only states allowing conjugal visits are California, New York, Washington, and Connecticut. Mississippi and New Mexico also had conjugal visit policies before. However, Mississippi halted allowing these visits on February 1, 2014, and New Mexico did the same on May 1, 2014.

  17. Conjugal Visits: Costly And Perpetuate Single Parenting? : NPR

    Host Michel Martin speaks with Heather Thompson of Temple University about the history of conjugal visits and why prisoners' families are upset about the change. Law January 27, 2014 12:27 PM ET

  18. Pros and Cons of Conjugal Visits

    Conjugal Visits Reduce the Risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. One of the most notable benefits of conjugal visits is protection from STDs, including HIV, chlamydia, and genital herpes. Engaging in sexual relations with multiple partners can increase the chances of acquiring infectious diseases like HIV.

  19. BOP: How to visit a federal inmate

    General Visiting Information. Make sure your visit will be a success by carefully following these four steps. Locate the inmate. Discover or confirm the whereabouts of the inmate you would like to visit. Be Approved. Before you can visit you must be placed on the inmate's approved visiting list. Be Prepared.

  20. The Origin of Conjugal Visits in America

    Conjugal visits began at Parchman in 1918 in "red houses" built by the prisoners. The visits were mostly limited to Black prisoners, who made up most of the prison population. The white ...

  21. An Incarcerated Journalist Explains Conjugal Visits and What Sex in

    In 1972, the program opened to the facility's female prisoners. Still, the system was marked by prejudice. "The most important question concerning a program of conjugal visiting," wrote ...

  22. Conjugal Visitation in American Prisons Today

    Programs which allow an opportunity for a conjugal visit exist in five States: Mississippi, New York, California, South Carolina, and Minnesota. Of the 54 correctional officials surveyed to determine their attitudes toward conjugal visitation programs, 42 responded to a mailed questionnaire containing 5 questions.

  23. Conjugal Visits In North Carolina

    Knowing that you have a husband/wife and are not able to share yourself with them in the most intimate way is detrimental. I am creating this petition in order to make North Carolina the 5th state who has conjugal visits. It's not fair to have a husband/wife in prison and to deprived of their physical affection and love. It's inhuma.