Contact with family and friends is important for an inmate. Missouri inmates are allowed visits on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm or 2:30 pm - 6:30 pm. As important as these visits are, an inmate can only give a hug and a kiss when the visit starts, and when the visit ends, and if this exceeds the time limit, it becomes a Disciplinary Violation. During the visit time, a spouse, or a significant other can only hold an inmates hand.

Conjugal Visits in Missouri Prisons would make a great impact on inmates and their families. A husband and wife need to connect and bond on a much more emotional level, it also prevents divorce rates from escalating, which can become added stresses on an inmate, as well as cause frustration.

Research supporting conjugal visits indicates that allowing inmates to spend time with partners and loved ones strengthens family bonds, reduces violence, and creates safer prison environments for inmates. 

One 2012 study found that in states where conjugal visits are not allowed, prisons had more than four times as many incidents of sexual violence between inmates as facilities in states where they were allowed. That study also pointed to the familial benefits conjugal visits could bring, "improving the functioning of a marriage by maintaining an inmate's role as husband or wife, improve the inmate's behavior while incarcerated, counter the effects of prisonization, and improve post-release success by enhancing the inmate's ability to maintain ties with his or her family." Researchers also noted the possibility of reducing sexually transmitted diseases by reducing inmate-to-inmate contact.

Conjugal visits are not only about sex, for an inmate to have private family time with immediate family will strengthen the bonds of families, and their children while their loved one is incarcerated. Having a loved one incarcerated is difficult, but losing the physical contact, hugs, kisses, and family time is very difficult for both parties. To allow private family time will keep a family bond strong, which is not only important for family on the outside, but extremely important for the inmate.

A young child should be able to bond with their parent in private with their family. This is very important for young children, this is when children develop bonds with both parents, an inmate should not have to have that taken away from them due to their incarceration.

In advance, thank you for taking the time to read this petition, as well as sign it.