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Poll > Sterilization For Reduced Sentencing > Tennessee Judge Makes Offer
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Jul 25 2017 03:09pm
Back in May of this year, Judge Sam Benningfield from White County, Tennessee signed a standing order that allows convicted criminals to voluntarily opt into a program that allows them to reduce their sentence by 30 days, with the only catch that they must either receive a vasectomy or get Nexplanon, which is an implant form of birth control in the arm that lasts up to 3 years. Additionally, they can also earn an additional two days off their sentences for completing a Tennessee Department of Health Neonatal Syndrome Education Program, which is a class aimed to educate people about the concerns of children being born addicted to substances. It should be noted from the start that Nexplanon can be removed at any time, and fertility can return as early as 1-week after removal. Vasectomies can also be reversed, but the likelihood of fertility returning is not 100%, and the likelihood that fertility returns continues to decrease as more time goes by after the vasectomy first occurs. Here's a tl;dr video on it:



The vasectomy procedure and the Nexplanon would be free-of-charge to the inmates through the Tennessee Department of Health. Thus far, a total of 32 women have received the Nexplanon and 38 men have agreed to have a vasectomy, and are waiting for the procedure, since the program began. Immediately, however, the program was met with resistance by community members and the ACLU. The ACLU argues that such sterilization programs are unconstitutional, and reference cases like Skinner v. Oklahoma (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinner_v._Oklahoma) that ruled that forced sterilization for convicted criminals of different crimes is unconstitutional. However, the main difference here is that this program is voluntary, but the ACLU maintains that such a program is still unconstitutional because it is coercive. Executive director of the Tennessee ACLU, Hedy Weinberg, said that:

Quote (ACLU-TN)
"Offering a so-called 'choice' between jail time and coerced contraception or sterilization is unconstitutional. Such a choice violates the fundamental constitutional right to reproductive autonomy and bodily integrity by interfering with the intimate decision of whether and when to have a child, imposing an intrusive medical procedure on individuals who are not in a position to reject it. Judges play an important role in our community – overseeing individuals’ childbearing capacity should not be part of that role".


Judge Benningfield, however, argues that there's nothing coercive about the program because it is completely voluntary, and that it actually is beneficial to the inmates who are attempting to create a sense of balance in their lives. He goes on to say that he's trying to break a cycle and that “I hope to encourage them to take personal responsibility and give them a chance, when they do get out, to not to be burdened with children. This gives them a chance to get on their feet and make something of themselves".

What are your thoughts, PaRD?
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Jul 25 2017 03:21pm
Wierd precedent could be set for other areas. How long before it's to get extra assistance?
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Jul 25 2017 03:32pm
I'm against the vast majority of Nazi-lite policies
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Jul 25 2017 03:40pm
I'm just wondering that... What if it is the baby on the way, giving guidance to help ppl to get back on their feet ?
How many of these voluntary applicants do it to "get back on their feet" and not only for a reduced jail time ? (even when it's just a 30 days reduction).

I'm doubting if it is meant to actually help ppl, or that it will only strengthen the stigma that "criminals shouldn't have babies".
It seems completely backward, but I havn't voted yet, I'd like to read some other opinions first.
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Jul 25 2017 03:43pm
Sounds good to me. Consensual infertility for reward. Covers most of the ethical issues with eugenics. We have enough plebs. We need to expand the aristocracy. Serfdom would help. House and food for life in return for labour. Sorted.

Quote (dro94 @ 25 Jul 2017 21:32)
I'm against the vast majority of Nazi-lite policies


Eugenics is not inherently nazi.

This post was edited by Scaly on Jul 25 2017 03:46pm
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Jul 25 2017 03:51pm
Would be against it if it was irreversible but since it's temporary and easily reversible i don't see much harm.

There's a strong correlation between delinquency and fatherlessness. It's a unique way of breaking the cycle (or at least making it harder) of children being born without fathers considering a lot of these people in prison are & will be repeat offenders. If they manage to stay out of trouble it's a relatively quick and cheap reversal, if they're a shithead, at least they didn't just father a kid of two before heading back to the slammer.
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Jul 25 2017 04:03pm
You're missing out a poll option.

In favour. It's coercive and unconstitutional but an ethical marvel.
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Jul 25 2017 04:50pm
- Nexplanon is ok for me since it's reversible, im in favor especially to avoid a junky getting pregnant.
- Vasectomy is for life (irreversible or something extremely costly), so it's broken...

Cant really vote, because i can consider young guy, too young for that decision, finally ending up in something good after 15 or 20 years but then fucked up.
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Jul 25 2017 04:58pm
Quote (Saucisson6000 @ Jul 25 2017 10:50pm)
- Nexplanon is ok for me since it's reversible, im in favor especially to avoid a junky getting pregnant.
- Vasectomy is for life (irreversible or something extremely costly), so it's broken...

Cant really vote, because i can consider young guy, too young for that decision, finally ending up in something good after 15 or 20 years but then fucked up.


Vasectomies are reversible, but a return to fertility is not 100% guaranteed.
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Jul 25 2017 05:04pm
Quote (thesnipa @ Jul 25 2017 04:21pm)
Wierd precedent could be set for other areas. How long before it's to get extra assistance?



Wouldn't even mind this. A human life is expensive
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