Conjugal Visits

Conjugal visits in prison are private meetings between a male or a female inmate with his or her significant other, during which the couple may engage in whatever legal activity they desire. Some Western and non-Western countries offer conjugal visitation programs within their prisons. These visits are granted to male and female prisoners by law if certain criteria are met. Despite the importance of conjugal visitation programs and their frequent and extensive use in various American and non-American prison systems, only a few studies have made a theoretical and empirical attempt to address these visits in men's and women's prisons. This entry incorporates a comprehensive review of the literature concerning conjugal visitation programs for men and women in Western and non-Western prison systems.