Minnesota Women’s Prison to Drop ‘No-Touch’ Policy

The new Guidelines Take Effect in Mid-July

SHAKOPEE, Minn. (AP) – A Minnesota women’s prison is discontinuing its policy that barred inmates from shaking hands or giving high-fives.

The Shakopee woman’s prison has banned unsanctioned contact between inmates for the past eight years.

Critics have called the prison’s “no-touch” policy cruel and unconstitutional.

Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schell said Friday that, “It wasn’t a healthy policy.” Schell said he believes the upcoming change will foster a “more humane environment.”

Administrators say they implemented the rules when the women’s prison was seeing a rise in inappropriate and, sometimes, nonconsensual sexual conduct between prisoners.

The Star Tribune reports under new guidelines that take effect in mid-July, inmates will be allowed to fist bump, shake hands and give high-fives, but not give hugs.

About 640 adults are housed at the prison.