WHETHER OR NOT PROLONGED SEXUAL DEPRIVATION WILL ULTIMATELY BE CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR NONE, SOME, OR ALL CRIMINALS, THE ABSENCE OF RATIONAL DISCUSSION OF THE QUESTION UNDERMINES THE LEGITIMACY OF THE POLICY. FOR THIS REASON, HETEROSEXUAL DEPRIVATION CAN NO MORE BE JUSTIFIED BY THE PRINCIPLE OF RETRIBUTION THAN IT CAN BY THE PRINCIPLES OF REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL DEFENSE. IF THE NEARLY UNIVERSAL AMERICAN POLICY OF IMPOSING HETEROSEXUAL DEPRIVATION UPON ITS PRISON POPULATION IS NOT A POSTULATE DEDUCED FROM HIGHER PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE, BUT MERELY PERSISTS THROUGH FORCE OF CUSTOM AND TRADITION, THEN WE OUGHT TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVES. DESPITE THE APPLAUSE THAT HOME FURLOUGHS HAVE RECEIVED FROM REFORMERS, THE RISK POSED TO SOCIETY MILITATES AGAINST A MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM. THEREFORE, IF THE ENFORCED SEXUAL DEPRIVATION OF OUR PRISON POPULATION IS TO BE ENDED, IT WILL HAVE TO BE THROUGH AN IN-PRISON CONJUGAL VISITATION PROGRAM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)