Conjugal association practices in prisons of the American nations

Information from a recent survey describes conjugal association practices in the prisons of the nations of the Americas. Such practices are concentrated in those nations with a strong Spanish heritage. Possible explanations for such an occurrence are provided, and implications for family stability and prison policy in the United States are considered.Presented in the Criminal Justice session of the 1982 annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, San Francisco. Appreciation is extended to Dr. William Nolan, Dr. Adalberto Pinelo, Dr. Richard Salisbury, and Ms. Gayle Waggoner for their translation services.