Conjugal Visits: Do They Really Exist?

You hear about conjugal visits all the time in books and on television, but are they really allowed in U.S. prisons? A conjugal visit is a private meeting between an inmate and his or her spouse or significant other, during which the couple is permitted to engage in whatever activity they desire. In most cases, conjugal visits are associated with sexual activity, though it is certainly not required that the couple pursue carnal desires. But do conjugal visits exist in the United States?

At one time, they were quite prevalent, particularly in Mississippi, California, New York, New Mexico and Washington, but most of the U.S. penal system has done away with conjugal visits for safety reasons. Many of these visits used to last for up to seventy-two hours in prisons across the U.S., giving married couples significant time to spend together. While this is an obvious privilege, it also presents an opportunity to smuggle contraband.

Legislators have weighed the benefits of providing conjugal visits to prison inmates against the potential risks. In such a visit, neither the inmate nor his or her spouse is monitored except for a guard outside the door. Conversations and activities are considered privileged in the U.S., and therefore cannot be observed by corrections officers. If the inmate and his or her spouse conspire to commit a crime during that time, the prison would experience harsh scrutiny from the public.

In the states where conjugal visits are still observed, they are often limited to inmates who exhibit extremely good behavior. In other words, the privilege is earned, and not given, when an inmate goes to jail. If he or she is not considered a high risk for security, his or her spouse may be allowed to visit for several hours or even days at a time, during which they can be alone. Some legislators believe that this makes inmates better behaved.