Not all prisoners will get sex visits

Prisoners hoping to enjoy the pleasures of conjugal visits will have to meet certain criteria before they are allowed to copulate with their partners.

The Ministry of National Security said that the granting of sex visits will be an incentive that are given to the prisoners rather than a right.

Factors that will play a role in deciding who gets conjugal visits include the type of crime committed, the length of time left on the inmates' sentence, deportment of the prisoner, whether or she is in a stable relationship and if there is a change in behaviour from the inmate.

"It is part of a wider set of reform programmes including Chess in Prison, Sports, WE-Transform as we move to create a safer and gentler society," Minister of National Security Robert Montague said.

The ministry said that conjugal visits will help inmates leaving correctional facilities to be reintegrated into society and prevented them from becoming repeat offenders.

"We cannot continue to do the same things repeatedly and expect a different outcome," Montague said.