ACT prisons allow conjugal visits

CANBERRA - The ACT has become the second jurisdiction in Australia to allow prisoners who behave to receive conjugal visits.

The Alexander Maconochie Centre's conjugal visits policy, which includes same-sex couples, came into force on March 30 when the jail received its first prisoners.

The Canberra Times reports prisoners and remandees who meet certain criteria can have access to such visits every two months.

During the visits, couples are provided with "domestic surroundings", condoms and reduced supervision so they can have their intimacy.

But there is a catch - the prisoner has to change the linen after the visit.

The policy excludes partners who are also prisoners at the jail.

A similar policy also exists for unsentenced prisoners on remand, that were previously not entitled to visits at two other correctional facilities in the ACT which have now closed.

Victoria is the only other Australian jurisdiction that allows conjugal visits for minimum and medium security prisoners.

- AAP