Gov. Schwarzenegger ‘Had no Choice’ But To Veto Prison Condom Distribution Bill, Letter to Editor Says
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) had "no choice but to veto" a bill (AB 1677) that would have allowed not-for-profit organizations to distribute condoms in prisons because "[c]ondoms have long been used as a way to smuggle drugs and contraband into prisons," James Tilton, secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, writes in a Los Angeles Times letter to the editor. According to Tilton, the bill "violated" state law and "presented valid safety and security concerns." The corrections department "has been committed to proactively educating inmates" about HIV/AIDS and has provided HIV prevention training to staff members that "focuses on awareness and reducing risk behaviors," Tilton writes, concluding, "Education, access to medications, care, treatment, and support during incarceration and before parole are critical elements in the department's comprehensive strategy to deal with HIV prevention" (Tilton, Los Angeles Times, 10/11).
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