Inmates At This Jail Get Shorter Sentences In Exchange For Getting A Vasectomy

[Judi Lynn]

Source: BuzzFeed News


Inmates can get out of jail 30 days early if they get a vasectomy or birth control implant.

Posted on July 20, 2017, at 7:27 p.m.
Brianna Sacks




Judge Sam Benningfield, who signed a standing order for the program.
Channel News 5


A jail in Tennessee is offering reduced sentences to inmates who voluntarily get a vasectomy or birth control implant in an effort to reduce the number of repeat offenders who can’t afford child support.

In what critics are calling unconstitutional and probably illegal, a new program enables inmates in White County, Tennessee, to get out of jail 30 days early if they undergo the birth control procedures.

Local judge Sam Benningfield, who conceptualized and signed a standing order permitting the program, told Channel News 5 that he hopes to break a "vicious cycle" of criminals who keep coming into his court room, struggling to find a job and unable to afford child support.

“I hope to encourage them to take personal responsibility and give them a chance, when they do get out, to not to be burdened with children,” Benningfield said. “This gives them a chance to get on their feet and make something of themselves.”

Read more: https://www.buzzfeed.com/briannasacks/tennessee-jail-inmate-birth-control-procedures?utm_term=.geZV6XnBx#.sdgeZv13Y

[enough]

1. Jesus. NT

[EarthFirst]

2. What fucking century do we live in?

[cstanleytech]

5. One in which there are still far to many people willing to either impregnate

or become pregnant and have children that they wont take responsibility for and help raise or cannot afford to raise or in other words it isn't that much different than prior centuries.

[7962]

9. Yes! Glad you said it. Although I'd say a century ago people were MORE responsible.

But be ready to be called names for your on-point statement

[cstanleytech]

13. Nah, people are people still and you still had children that were abandoned in orphanages or

on the streets back then as you do know.
Mind you such a program "could" be abused but if its purely limited to people that are having children that they cannot afford to raise and or simply refuse to provide for then I am not going to complain much being as I have direct experience on what its like to grow up with a deadbeat father and having a mother struggling to simply buy even bread.

[7962]

18. It must have been a real struggle. I hate hearing those stories. I was lucky.

Grew up a military brat. Had both parents.

[cstanleytech]

38. Aye it sucked but what angers me is that the Navy refused to even help and I will never forgive them

nor my father for what they put my mother through.

[Warren DeMontague]

32. Regardless, using the criminal justice system to sterilize people is a fucking terrible idea

with a barbaric history.

I'm sure there are better ways to encourage responsibility than using the leverage of incarceration. Strikes me as a terrible idea, not to mention the obvious implications that fall out from the known racial disparities in who ends up in jail.

[cstanleytech]

36. Birth control implants are not permanent and depending on the method used neither are vasectomies.

[Warren DeMontague]

39. I think it's a bad way to go about it.

You are using prison to coerce people not to reproduce, that's the problem.

[cstanleytech]

40. No, they were using prison to punish them for not taking responsability for providing for their

children they already have like they should be doing as parents.
Granted some of the the people might have a legitimate reason for not supporting their kids however if thats the case it makes zero sense to go and make more children and repeat the cycle again and again of not supporting the new ones either.

[Warren DeMontague]

43. Im not saying dont punish deadbeat or non-supportive parents

Im saying dont use prison as a carrot or stick to push sterilization - 'temporary' or no - on inmates.

[cstanleytech]

44. And I get that but its not working. The number of children with dead beat parents isnt

declining so something needed to be done and this might be wake up some of them need since the threat of prison clearly hasnt been working.

[Major Nikon]

45. Your argument is the end justifies the means

This isn't that great of an argument to begin with and much worse so when the application is civil rights. It's actually the same argument used to justify public caning and amputations for misdemeanor level offenses. Just because a method of punishment is effective, does not ethically justify its use.

[cstanleytech]

55. If you can find a better way that actually works to get these people to live up to their obligations

as parents I will get behind it 100% over this.

[Major Nikon]

57. How does getting a vasectomy work for previous obligations?

[cstanleytech]

59. It doesnt of course but it does it does prevent them from creating new ones to add to the old. nt

[Major Nikon]

60. Throwing them from a helicopter screaming would probably be even more effective

[LanternWaste]

49. Yeah... you're justifying this program.

Yeah... you're justifying this program predicated on zero data as to the results. Sounds about right.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

48. Vasectomies can sometimes be reversed, but not always

and I'm sure that is an expensive procedure. There are also side effects to the vasectomy, like pain that can last for quite some time.

[lebkr]

47. a . . . "terrible idea"

This is about the Christian attitude about punishment. It's always about the punishment . . . . and feeling superior. No thought given to the economy, opportunities, stable communities, etc. which would actually improve lives.

[Kablooie]

61. We live in the 1200s. Didn't you notice?

[secondwind]

3. Why doesn't he help them find a job?

[cstanleytech]

7. For some a job wouldnt matter as they would still skip out on paying even if they had one.

My father did the same thing, my mother knew he was working but not where exactly or where he was living in the country to help support my brothers and myself and the Navy which knew where he was of no help to my mother in tracking him down to serve him with said support papers nor would they forward the papers to him.

[Docreed2003]

4. How the hell is that legal?

[dixiegrrrrl]

23. It isn't. A landmark Supreme court decision in "Buck vs, Bell" 1927

Involuntary sterilization applies to coercion. Offering decreased prison sentences is a form of coercion.

I am curious as the race of the majority of the prisoners, that might add to the illegality of this.

[SCantiGOP]

29. This is in the same vein

As the Nazis sterilizing people from "undesirable races."

[no_hypocrisy]

52. Buck v Bell dealt with state-sponsored INVOLUNTARY sterilization.

Carrie Buck had to be put in front of an advisory panel, deemed "feeble-minded" and then had to go to Amherst County Court House to reverse the decision of the Board to have her sterilized. She fought to keep her right to reproduce.

In this case, although one can argue that the subjects are partially compelled to make the choice of being sterilized, it's deemed voluntary and an exchange of favors. Completely different from having no vote altogether to be sterilized.

[SCantiGOP]

64. Stay in jail or submit?

This is a choice?

[no_hypocrisy]

65. There is no choice. You lose your hearing, you get sterilized.

Once Buck made state-sponsored, compulsory sterilization legitimate, states went wild with wholesale sterilizations. Sometimes, they didn't tell the subjects they were being sterilized; they were told their appendixes were being removed, etc. Years later, they married and couldn't understand why they couldn't start a family.

[SCantiGOP]

67. I misunderstood your earlier post

I think we're in agreement

[Docreed2003]

34. Was thinking the same thing actually about racial motivation

I thought I remembered a landmark case about forced or coerced sterilization of inmates, thanks for sharing!

[blue-wave]

6. WTF!!!

This too closely resembles Nazi sterilization programs in WWII. This is F'd up!!

So let's get everyone comfortable with the idea and program. Then who's next? We are being programmed into accepting things that, in a normal society, we never ever would accept.

[ansible]

8. The Nazi eugenics programs were in turned influenced by the early American eugenics movement

Hitler considered it an example to follow

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics_in_the_United_States#Influence_on_Nazi_Germany

[cstanleytech]

10. A birth control implant is no where near like what the Nazi's did back then or for that matter

what we ourselves did in certain parts of the country to people as the procedures they used back then were not reversible but the implant is reversible and yes even a vasectomy can be reversible depending on which method they use.

[blue-wave]

16. It's still very concerning

because of this:

So let's get everyone comfortable with the idea and program. Then who's next? We are being programmed into accepting things that, in a normal society, we never ever would accept.

[cstanleytech]

25. I agree that such a program needs to be monitored "very" closely because it could be abused

but on the other hand if it prevents assholes that refuse to help support their children from having more children that they can screw over in life I am not going to complain to much.

[blue-wave]

30. I guess that would include the guy who

loses his job because of right-wing policies such as the great depression, the Bush "great recession" or what's to come with Trump's time in office. He is doing a great job of bringing all those jobs back to America after all!!

So anyone down on their luck with kids and child support, watch out!! We're coming to neuter (or spay?) you! No need to consider individual cases. You're all just as guilty as the next! My question again: Who's next?

We need to start building a society that, once again, affords men and women the opportunity to raise children in a safe and healthy environment. That means good paying, living wage jobs. And this idea is just a start. Sterilization programs should not even be part of the equation in OUR country.

[cstanleytech]

35. There is a difference of being unable and unwilling.

If you are unable but you are making an honest effort to be as good a parent as possible under the circumstances then sure the courts should be willing to work with you but if your an asshole who simply refuses to help provide support even though you could do it then I dont have much sympathy.

[SCantiGOP]

31. Glad you are comfortable

In deciding, or at least endorsing, who gets to reproduce and who doesn't.
I'm not.

On edit: blue-wave, I agree with your post. My response was to #25

[cstanleytech]

37. Its not an issue of who gets to reproduce if that was the case then we would

be a society where you would have to be granted permission beforehand this is simply aimed at those that have reproduced and that refuse to support the children they already have, granted it could be abused in that way but thats why it needs to be very carefully watched.

[SCantiGOP]

63. watched by whom?

apparently you are appointing yourself as one of those who are qualified to make these decisions.

[cstanleytech]

66. I am not appointing myself anything I am merely speaking my opinion one based around

growing up with a deadbeat father and one who saw his own mother have to struggle just so we literally would have a loaf of bread to eat for the entire week until next months food stamps came in.

[SCantiGOP]

68. Sorry for your circumstances growing up

But that in no way justifies giving the government a power like this under any circumstances. It would be like the death penalty - it would inevitably end up discriminating against the poor and minorities, and it is an abhorrent and unconscionable policy on the face of it.

[7962]

11. Should be a condition of release for rapists & child molesters. nt

[Mr.Bill]

14. A vascectomy

is not going to reduce the urge to rape or molest children.

[7962]

17. Oops, thats right. Should've said castration.

[Demonaut]

20. that's not the point

[Mr.Bill]

22. Well, the poster in post #11

says he was mistaken about his point in post #17.

[truthisfreedom]

12. Wait a minute here. It's voluntary, and you're rewarded

Two ways. Apparently it's free, plus you get a reduced sentence. Obviously guys can only use this once, but what if a guy wants a vasectomy and has no health care and no money?

[LanternWaste]

50. It is, by definition, coercion.

It is, by definition, coercion.

[IronLionZion]

15. Voluntary, free, and reduced sentence, why not?

I don't see this as a bad thing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

24. Please see my post above, # 23. Not voluntary. n/t

[Demonaut]

19. Not a bad idea, it can be reversed

[Egnever]

21. Seriously what the fuck is going on in this country

We seem to be on a downward spiral into ignorance.

Soon it will be witch trials again.

[David__77]

26. Or: "Inmates who refuse steralization get longer prison sentences."

This is disgusting.

[Doreen]

27. I must make two points.

That is just so wrong though I bet some would support it if it were just women he was expecting to do that.

[Phoenix61]

28. There was a program in California

several years ago that provided free tubal ligations for women plus $500. The money was intended to cover lost wages for time they would not be able to work while recovering. They had to stop the program due to concerns addicts were "selling" their reproductive rights. This will sound harsh but having worked with children born to addicts and alcoholics I'm not sure that was a bad thing.

[radical noodle]

41. There are people who really should not

reproduce. Think of all the white supremacists in jail now. I sure wouldn't mind if they chose to do it.

[cstanleytech]

42. This is the implant which wears off after about 4 years plus they are not being paid for it per se

rather they are being granted a little time off of their remaining sentence and frankly I think its a cheaper alternative than simply letting them continue to have children that they cannot or will not take care.
Or to put it another way people are focused so much on the people that this is being offered to that they are neglecting to consider the ones that are really being hurt which is the children by their parents being negligent by not helping to support them and not behaving like a parent should behave.

[TexasBushwhacker]

62. I agree n/t

[Shoonra]

33. This makes me uneasy.

This is not a repeat of Buck v. Bell -- there is no evidence that the prisoners or their children are or will be geneticially inferior. Statistically most prisoners are black, so the purpose of this legislation is to sterilize lots and lots of black men. The supposition is that the prisoners will return to prison, not particularly optimistic -- so sterilization is being pushed on the first offense.

Catholic prisoners will probably refuse sterilization - and be made to serve longer prison terms for adhering to their religion. Probably the same can be said for Orthodox and Hasidic Jews, Amish, and great many others with religious scruples about contraception. So there are serious Constitutional issues involved here. Unmarried men who come out of prison may have trouble forming long term relationships leading to marriage, since they cannot father children, and this may affect their chances at rehabilitation.

[AngryAmish]

58. Buck v Bell is the law of the land.

Three generations of imbeciles are enough.

[maxrandb]

46. White county Tenn?

Seems about right

[no_hypocrisy]

51. What happens if they land back in jail after the vasectomies and they want to

shorten their sentence of incarceration?


One trick pony.

[Rorey]

53. I don't think it should necessarily be a bribe, but....

It'd be great if birth control was free and easy to obtain (including vasectomies and tubal ligations). I also think that spaying and neutering pets should be free. JMO

[elehhhhna]

54. So the only way to get free birth control in this country will be to go to prison first?

[Dreamer Tatum]

56. I guess we now never have to endure any more Malthusian bullshit on DU.

If this is so concerning, then all that handwringing about overpopulation is just bullshit.