User:SWWarrior2014/sandbox

This is my first 'Wikipedia article. I am from the University of Michigan

Wikipedia

Introduction

My name is Raul. I am currently attending the Ivory tower known as the University of Michigan. I am currently working on receiving my Master of Social Work degree. I am interested in dismantling the White Supremacy, Heterosexism, Patriarchy that has a hold of the many Social systems within the Culture of the United States

History

CSULB

University of Michigan

Conjugal Visits

Belgium

Both men and women are entitled to conjugal visitation as hetoersexual couples. Belgium’s prisons provide facilities where inmates can meet their spouses once a month for a maximum of two uninterrupted hours. There are however circumstances, as they apply to heterosexual couples as well, where these conjugal visits can be revoked.

Brazil

In February 2015 inmates who register their same sex partner have the right to conjugal visitations in all of Brazil’s jails. This decision was reached by the National Criminal and Penitentiary Council. The conjugal visit must be guaranteed at least once a month and cannot be prohibited or suspended as a disciplinary measure with the exception of certain cases where violations being restricted are linked to the improper use of conjugal visitations.

Israel

Gay prisoners in Israeli Prison System (IPS) are allowed conjugal visits with their partners under the same circumstances as heterosexual prisoners. This policy was revised in July 2013 under Association for Civil Rights in Israel chief legal attorney Dan Yakir challenged the lack of conjugal visits for same sex inmates since 2009.

Mexico

In July 2007 through the efforts of the country’s National Human Rights Commission (CDHDF), the Mexico City prison system began allowing same-sex conjugal visits on the basis of a 2003 law which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. The visitor is not required to be married to the inmate. This policy change applies to all Mexico City Prisons.

Support for LGBT Persons in Prison

As a result in the rise of awareness of LGBTQ persons in prisons, Many organizations have developed specifically to support this specific population within the prison system. These organization address the various needs surrounding specific issues that LGBTQ persons in the prison system. Some organizations also support family members of LGBTQ inmates.

Black and Pink

Black and Pink Is an organization that is composed of LGBTQ individuals and "free world" allies who focus on prison abolishment movement and support LGBTQ prison inmates and their families. There individuals are made up of members, committees, advisory groups and Leadership Circles (LC). The organization developed in the city of Boston and began to expand by establishing chapters in Boise, Buffalo, New York, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco and are currently in the process of establishing a chapter in Southwest Ohio. The organization offers various services such as Court accompaniment, a pen pal program, workshops and training, and support for LGBTQ persons who are experiencing lack of health care, sexual violence, harassment.

Solitary Confinement

Solitary confinement has become the prison system's method to protect transgender inmates from other prisoners in cases involving sexual assault, harassment and physical violence. Advocates for transgender prisoners argue that this method only increases the harassment they receive from officers and various other staff members as reported by Injustice at Every Turn. In the report, 44% of transgender male respondents and 40% of transgender women respondents who were imprisoned reported being harassed by officers and/or other staff members of the prison system. While in solitary confinement, transgender individuals are less likely to receive medical care. Out of the respondents in the same report 12% of transgender individuals surveyed reported being denied routine non-transition related healthcare and 17% reported being denied hormone treatment. The number was disproportionally higher when transgender people of color reported lack of transition health care and hormone treatment with American Indians reporting 36% denial and Black and/or African American reporting a 30% denial rate. The use of solitary confinement also lessens transgender inmate's access to programs and work assignments where they may be able to lessen their sentences, enter rehabilitation programs, or earn money to buy basic products such as soap and also lesses their chances to obtain parole or conditional release.

Solitary Confinement has also shown to affect the mental health of transgender prisoners. With the report of filed by Injustice at Every Turn , 41% of respondents reported attempted suicide. With transgender people of color, 56% of American Indian and 54% of multiracial individuals reported attempted suicide. The report also links the over-use of solitary confinement as a factor in the high rate of suicide attempts to transgender people of color within the prison system.