title: Condoms for prisoners: no evidence that they increase sex in prison, but they increase safe sex.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if the provision of condoms to prisoners in two Australian state prison systems with different policies affects sexual behaviour. In New South Wales' (NSW) prisons, condoms are freely distributed, while in Queensland prisons none are distributed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a computer-assisted telephone interview to survey randomly selected prisoners in both states about their sexual behaviour in prison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thousand and eighteen male prisoners participated. The proportion of prisoners reporting anal sex in prison was equally low in NSW (3.3%) and Queensland (3.6%; p=0.8). A much higher proportion of prisoners who engaged in anal sex in NSW (56.8%) than Queensland (3.1%; p<0.0001) reported they had used a condom if they had had anal sex in prison. Sexual coercion was equally rare in both prison systems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no evidence that condom provision to prisoners increased consensual or non-consensual sexual activity in prison. If available, condoms were much more likely to be used during anal sex. Condoms should be made available to prisoners as a basic human right.
authors.affiliation: Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. tbutler@kirby.unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: Juliet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richters
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: Basil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Donovan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011793:Queensland; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013689:Telephone
keywords: CONDOMS; PREVENTION; PRISONERS