I appreciate the response. I'm glad someone posted some concrete ideas about how to deal with this. I know I sounded a bit cynical, but mostly I was put off by the initial post I was responding to which didn't make any suggestions on how to deal with the problem, just tossed it out there off hand as though stopping prison rape would be the easiest thing ever (that's a little rhetorical hyperbole on my part ;). It would be, I think, massively difficult. Moreso without concrete, practical steps that could be implemented in order to get it done.

Now with caps!

Now here's a suggestion, supply them with these instead.

If they can't get it stiff, they cannot rape.  

1. nmiguy's never heard of fisting.

As far as their rights, fuck em.

2. Always nice to see support for the rule of law.

Yeah I have heard of fisting.  But really, if the guy isn't going to get off, then he will probably be disinclined to something as foul as fisting.  

Cloud, I am not saying they lose all their rights, but being in prison is literally giving up some of them.  Their liberty has been taken away because of their crimes.  Prison is not meant to be a carnival, or a party.  If sex is disallowed and prevented, and if cons are given a chemical that prevents erections, your are protecting law and order, the other cons, preventing the transmission of disease.  It is charity that convicts don't deserve to give them the freedom to a sex life in prison.  Prison rape can be stopped.  My way would work.  

Rape is about power and domination as much or more than it's about "getting off". Your way doesn't address that at all.

And another thing, how are you planning to administer drugs to thousands of prisoners who don't want to take them? What kind of manpower is it going to take to restrain and forcibly inject all these guys? I really don't think you've thought this through.

Cloud, what better way to take away a man's power and willingness to dominate than taking away his erection?  
Also, I am not talking about forcing drugs into unwilling bodies.  I am saying you put it in their food.  They have to eat.   They don't have to know about the secret ingredient.  

Sure enough, the sick criminal minds will find ways to exert power and to dominate others, they just won't be able to do it with rape and it will reduce the amount of AIDS and HIV transmission.  

Cloud, what better way to take away a man's power and willingness to dominate than taking away his erection?

You want to take away prisoner's power and willingness to dominate? Let's build rape rooms in every prison. Let's build rape machines and have every prison mechanically violated at least once a week. That should get the job done.

I am saying you put it in their food. They have to eat. They don't have to know about the secret ingredient.

I stand by my assertion that you haven't thought this through. Depo Provera is usually administered by injection.

From the Wikipedia article on chemical castration:

Large doses are required to be effective in men. Most men will receive 400mg to 500mg per week, equal to 2.5 ml in each buttock. In some cases, men given oral doses as high as 700 mg/day have still reported regular sexual arousal and fantasies.

The side effects could cause this to be a less than optimal solution.

The use of Depo-Provera can cause several side effects including weight gain, fatigue, thromboembolism, malaise, hypertension, mild depression, hypoglycemia and rare changes in liver enzymes.

The use of tamoxifen in men may result in headaches, nausea and/or vomiting, skin rash, impotence, or a decrease in sexual interest. Weight loss has also been reported in men due to reversal of the bloating effect of excess estrogen caused by fluid retention.

In addition to ethical concerns, chemical castration may increase blood pressure in males, sometimes to dangerous levels. Other side effects, such as the formation of abnormal fat deposits in the liver, are being investigated.

The use of Depo-Provera can cause several side effects including weight gain,
The use of tamoxifen in men may result in weight loss.

There you go, you give them both and then they'll be fine.  ;)

Yes teh idea of chemical castration is obviously controversial.  But do the benefits outweigh the risks?  Make a study of how prison rape has affected the health of inmates.  High blood pressure is the least of their problems.  Rape has physical effects as well as moral and social effects in prison that are unacceptable.  HIV, AIDS, hepatitis and other diseases are rampant.  Not to mention severe injuries incurred and psychological damage incurred by rape.  A lot of prisoners, given a choice between having some high blood pressure (treatable condition) or having their butt holes ripped open and injected with AIDS would probably choose the former.  

"Yes teh idea of chemical castration is obviously controversial."

Do tell, and why would that be, I wonder?  Could it anything to do with the fact that, even in the cases of convicted sex offenders, chemical castration is generally only offered as an option and only when it is to be administered under strict medical conditions?

But, here you're not really calling for that.  Here you're calling for a regimen of chemical castration for the entire population of every state and federal prison in the country.  All because you think your way will work.  And what makes you so sure?  You think chemically emasculating someone is going to make them a docile individual?  Or did you think, side effects aside, prisoners finding themselves being neutered against their will might not just turn a bit nastier and more violent as a result?  And where will you get the doctors and nurses to inject the prisoners regularly enough to have your desired effect?  And out of what pot of money do you propose pulling the money to pay for the chemicals needed to do this?

Sorry, but this is just another of your half thought through notions.

You talkin' to me?

I take it you're also in favor of taking away their cable TV access? ;)

P.S. - what do they do on conjugal visits?

Now with caps!

Nah TV is fine.  If the cons are being good.  Of course if they act up, you can take away the TV.

As far as "conjugal visits" hasn't anyone ever heard of talking anymore?   Chemical castration is a safety issue.  It provides discipline and order in the prison.   If the con can't get hard, they won't be raping their cell mate.