Should Prisoners Have a Right to Privacy

Prison Rights

While women’s rights to equal employment are important, there should be some restrictions, especially when it comes to gender boundaries. For instance, in a male prison facility, it might be inappropriate for female prison guards to work there. Some might say that such a restriction is a violation of their right to equal employment, but the reality is that female prison guards might be vulnerable to attack, harassment, or seduction, and having them in that role could pose a danger both to themselves and to others (Patterson, 2017). It is better to place a restriction on this type of role and reserve it men, rather than promote equal opportunity employment and face potential risks and threats needlessly.

At the same time the question of male inmates rights to privacy is used to justify the restriction. A male inmate has very limited privacy. He is rarely alone and is always under observation. So privacy is not necessary a top concern of his. However, because men and women are of a different gender and there is potential for problems, especially when authority is concerned, it makes sense in this politically correct climate of today to justify restrictions of employment on the basis of securing privacy for male inmates. The reality is that male inmates are in prison and thus give up a great many rights that they might normally enjoy as free men.

Thus, to answer the question of what is more important, women’s rights to equal employment in a male facility or the male inmates rights to privacy, I would have to say that neither is really very important. Restrictions should be placed on both because of the special circumstances and environment of the male prison facility and the nature of the people who are there.