A report from CBS News claims that the State of California plans to initiate a program that would offer condoms to incarcerated prisoners. The story is both strange and controversial considering that sex between prisoners is illegal, and if a jailed individual is caught having sex behind bars, even if a prison-provided condom is being used, that prisoner would face consequences.

The program, which is scheduled to launch in September, was designed to cut down on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among prisoners. However, as sex in prison is illegal, one can’t help but see that prisoners who are given condoms are being offered a conflicting set of messages.

“I don’t understand it when they say, here, if you’re going to have sex do this, but if we catch you having sex you’re in trouble,” Michael Green, a California prison inmate said.

Asked if this program is the prison system’s way of turning a blind eye to these illegal sex acts, Associate Warden Vimal Singh said, “We are not. It is still illegal and if they are caught having sex. They will still go through the rules violation report.”

The correctional officers union, which supports the officers that work in the prisons that are to be involved in the program, is against distributing condoms to inmates. The union believes that condoms could potentially be used as weapons, of as way to smuggle drugs. However, Mary Syllis, who is with the Center for Health Justice, the organization that will distribute the condoms, believes that this will not be the case. “Sure it’s controversial,” said Syllis. “But we know that in other jails and facilities, where there’s been access to condoms, there haven’t been negative consequences.”