I would guess that assignment is based on sex rather than gender for the following reasons: 1. State/Federal laws: even the "progressive" states aren't *that* progressive, so getting the laws changed to account for transgendered individuals would be a challenge. 2. What would happen if a male prisoner lied about being transgendered just to get into a female prison, and rape/sexual assault occurred? My guess is that the state would face a huge lawsuit.
It already happens, the states are not held liable.
Good to know I have that kind of power. But I do think that convicted felons should lose rights, I don't think they should or do lose ALL their rights, and I am more of the mindset you do your time, you get a clean slate. (Unless you commit a crime again, then your prior record should come into account)
But crimes come with punishment, as they should, so they are a deterant for people to commit crimes. I do not in any way think prison is club med, but if an inmate is not provided access to an elective surgery, so be it. Serve your time, then get your surgery on your own dime. Just like I have to if I want an elective surgery.
1. lol at "clean slate, unless you do something else and then you're fucked by your previous record." That's, uh, not a clean slate. Just fyi.
2. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights still applies to people in prison.
3. "Deterrent."
4. Gender reassignment surgery =/= "elective surgery."
1. So you think all prior records should disappear? Should repeat drunk drivers get the same punishment as the first time? IMO no, repeat offenders should get harsher penaties therefor there slate is not entirely wiped clean the minute they serve their sentence. I get the difference in what a clean slate is.
2. I thought convicted felons lost the right to vote? Also, don't they lose the right to bear arms? This is not a subject I am well versed in or research much, just things I thought were true.
3. Okay
4. Several people have mentioned this, and I have a couple questions. Does most insurance cover gender reassignment surgery? Does medicade or medicare cover the procedure?
Yes, but they do still have them. Sunshineluv seems to think you should abandon all hope, etc. lol.
And you are reading way between the lines of my post to say they should lose all hope. I don't see how you gathered that at all? Should they lose some rights, yes, its prison! They lose the right of freedom mainly. All hope? Um, what? I never said that.
1. No, of course not. I was mostly just laughing at the "clean slate ... except not" irony.
2. There are some rights that prisoners lose, yes. But I doubt the right to bear arms would come into play in a case like this. You seem to be advocating for the loss of rights to medical care.
4. Some do, some don't. But I don't think this should be a criteria against which one measures the necessity of a procedure. Insurance companies deny all kinds of legitimate claims.
I guess to me, if a person wouldn't get coverage for a procedure (any treatment or procedure, not just this one) outside of prison, for free or partically covered by private or government insurance, then I don't think it should be provided free of charge to inmates. Reguardless of the necessity of the procedure. My insurance just denied me zofran yesterday, after october, due to the expense, is it medically necessary, imo yes, so I can quit puking all the time. But that is for my comfort, if I became dehydated then I bet the insurance company would have to step back in and pay. What I am trying to say is I think the inmates medical coverage should not be better than what they would get with government or private health insurance outside of prison.
No. Why should people who broke the law get better treatment than those who struggle to make ends meet legally?
Yeah! I mean it's not like there are people who don't have roofs over their heads, there aren't people who are hungry! Why should these people eat or be warm in the winter when there are those who struggle?
Uh, cause there's a standard for humanity. We've also decided access to healthcare is a standard for a human being, no matter how bad they are
But why should non-medically necessary surgeries be covered? I wouldn't be covered by my insurance to get a breast enlargement or sex change, so why should a prisoner get it for free?
I'm absolutely not saying that if they need medical treatment they shouldn't be provided it, just that they shouldn't get extras that normal, hardworking and law abiding citizens don't get.
Here in NZ, they're actually changing the way prisons work and I think it's awesome. Commodities are offered on a rental or sale basis, and prisoners do work around the prison (cooking, weeding, cleaning etc) and get paid. Anything they want to do costs money (discounted pay and commodity costs). I'd be fine in a system like that if a prisoner had to pay for an elective surgery just like a normal citizen would, even if its steeply discounted.
Eta possibly this is also relevant, but where I live basic medical IS free and I'm coming from a perspective where prisoners share that right with all other people. I'm not American if that played into your assumption of what I was implying.
Yeah! I mean it's not like there are people who don't have roofs over their heads, there aren't people who are hungry! Why should these people eat or be warm in the winter when there are those who struggle?
Uh, cause there's a standard for humanity. We've also decided access to healthcare is a standard for a human being, no matter how bad they are
But why should non-medically necessary surgeries be covered? I wouldn't be covered by my insurance to get a breast enlargement or sex change, so why should a prisoner get it for free?
I'm absolutely not saying that if they need medical treatment they shouldn't be provided it, just that they shouldn't get extras that normal, hardworking and law abiding citizens don't get.
Here in NZ, they're actually changing the way prisons work and I think it's awesome. Commodities are offered on a rental or sale basis, and prisoners do work around the prison (cooking, weeding, cleaning etc) and get paid. Anything they want to do costs money (discounted pay and commodity costs). I'd be fine in a system like that if a prisoner had to pay for an elective surgery just like a normal citizen would, even if its steeply discounted.
If the required number of doctors and psychologists say is IT medically necessary, then it is. Determined by medical professionals, not the prison system.
do people think you can just walk into a surgeon and be like, cut my nuts off? do you think you can walk in and say, saw my tibia in half my ankle hurts?
Yeah! I mean it's not like there are people who don't have roofs over their heads, there aren't people who are hungry! Why should these people eat or be warm in the winter when there are those who struggle?
Uh, cause there's a standard for humanity. We've also decided access to healthcare is a standard for a human being, no matter how bad they are
But why should non-medically necessary surgeries be covered? I wouldn't be covered by my insurance to get a breast enlargement or sex change, so why should a prisoner get it for free?
I'm absolutely not saying that if they need medical treatment they shouldn't be provided it, just that they shouldn't get extras that normal, hardworking and law abiding citizens don't get.
Here in NZ, they're actually changing the way prisons work and I think it's awesome. Commodities are offered on a rental or sale basis, and prisoners do work around the prison (cooking, weeding, cleaning etc) and get paid. Anything they want to do costs money (discounted pay and commodity costs). I'd be fine in a system like that if a prisoner had to pay for an elective surgery just like a normal citizen would, even if its steeply discounted. Eta possibly this is also relevant, but where I live basic medical IS free and I'm coming from a perspective where prisoners share that right with all other people. I'm not American if that played into your assumption of what I was implying.
The majority of prisons in the US already have this system.
And I think the real crux of the issue is your first line - the whole medically necessary piece. Because if it's determined to be medically necessary by his/her medical team - it is medically necessary.
I don't think the prison system should even have to pay for their food, let alone sex changes.
That's right. They should grow their own food. A sheriff in one of the neighboring counties has a program where the prisoners grow their own food, raise their own livestock, have a functioning chicken and dairy farm and even turn a small profit for the prison raising tilapia. It's very successful and self-sustaining and the cost to the tax payer is minimal.
That's right. They should grow their own food. A sheriff in one of the neighboring counties has a program where the prisoners grow their own food, raise their own livestock, have a functioning chicken and dairy farm and even turn a small profit for the prison raising tilapia. It's very successful and self-sustaining and the cost to the tax payer is minimal.
We already have to feed and clothe them....Absolutely not. You want a sex change, work on bettering yourself and maybe if your you're able to.....get out of prison and work for it. If you're in for life, then tough shit.
Man, I wanna go to prison! All I have to do all day is watch TV, benchpress some weights, get fed, do some menial labor, get free healthcare (when the doc comes around). Sounds sweet.
Said no one ever.
Not too long ago, within the past year or so I'd say, a man (I think in CA but I forget for sure, can't recall exactly where I read it) went into a bank, robbed it, then waited inside the bank on a bench for the police to come arrest him. He was about to become homeless and was destitute, and knew he would get at least a place to sleep and food to eat in jail so he did it on purpose to get arrested to go to jail. Strange but true. I wish I could recall exactly where I read it.
Man, I wanna go to prison! All I have to do all day is watch TV, benchpress some weights, get fed, do some menial labor, get free healthcare (when the doc comes around). Sounds sweet.
Said no one ever.
Not too long ago, within the past year or so I'd say, a man (I think in CA but I forget for sure, can't recall exactly where I read it) went into a bank, robbed it, then waited inside the bank on a bench for the police to come arrest him. He was about to become homeless and was destitute, and knew he would get at least a place to sleep and food to eat in jail so he did it on purpose to get arrested to go to jail. Strange but true. I wish I could recall exactly where I read it.
Not Cali, but Alabama, and it happened just a month ago:
Man, I wanna go to prison! All I have to do all day is watch TV, benchpress some weights, get fed, do some menial labor, get free healthcare (when the doc comes around). Sounds sweet.
Said no one ever.
Not too long ago, within the past year or so I'd say, a man (I think in CA but I forget for sure, can't recall exactly where I read it) went into a bank, robbed it, then waited inside the bank on a bench for the police to come arrest him. He was about to become homeless and was destitute, and knew he would get at least a place to sleep and food to eat in jail so he did it on purpose to get arrested to go to jail. Strange but true. I wish I could recall exactly where I read it.
This happened in Missoula, MT and the man went back to prison. He was a prime example of someone who was completely institutionalized.
As someone who works in prisons I am baffled that people think someone would go to one on purpose to try to get any sort or gender reassignment therapy. The people I have met in prison who voice any gender ID issues (and even those who don't) are generally raped and sexually abused. This makes you a huge target.
Also I have found that prisons give you just enough health care so you don't die ... sometimes.
Not too long ago, within the past year or so I'd say, a man (I think in CA but I forget for sure, can't recall exactly where I read it) went into a bank, robbed it, then waited inside the bank on a bench for the police to come arrest him. He was about to become homeless and was destitute, and knew he would get at least a place to sleep and food to eat in jail so he did it on purpose to get arrested to go to jail. Strange but true. I wish I could recall exactly where I read it.
This happened in Missoula, MT and the man went back to prison. He was a prime example of someone who was completely institutionalized.
As someone who works in prisons I am baffled that people think someone would go to one on purpose to try to get any sort or gender reassignment therapy. The people I have met in prison who voice any gender ID issues (and even those who don't) are generally raped and sexually abused. This makes you a huge target.
Also I have found that prisons give you just enough health care so you don't die ... sometimes.