08-25-2006, 05:28 PM
Quote:Cuz... We think cell MATE is a good idea? Why not have new inmate mixers, date nights, and romantic getaways for two to solitary? It seems just a bit unfair to the straight guys. Maybe we could just separate the HIV infected ones to a different cell block, and quarantine the new inmates until their blood tests came back?
Your joke would make more sense if free condoms actually made it easier for gay inmates to find that special guy to live out the rest of their life sentence with. The fact is, prison sex is far removed from courtship sex, and (don't be surprised now) prison sex does not necessarily involve homosexual participants (in fact most of the time, both are probably straight). The more apt comment would be "If they're going to pass out condoms, they may as well pass out clean needles, too." (as that might also help curb rates of hepatitis).
So why not quarantine HIV+ inmates? Space, probably. My understanding is HIV can be undetectable for up to 6 months, so the quarantine would need to last awhile for any inmate who initially tests negative. And during that time, you'd need to make sure they had no access to non-sexual forms of transmission, such as intravenous drugs.
To me, throwing condoms at the situation is a form of flailing helplessly. Will it help curb the HIV rate? I kinda doubt it.
-Lemmy