You see, this is why healthcare decisions for prisoners is so much easier to deal with in countries with a proper socialised healthcare system. Say there was a prisoner who desperately needed painkillers, would you deny them? I agree that it's grossly unfair for them to get help and ordinary law-abiding citizens don't, but if we treat them as worthless sub-humans, do we really have the moral high ground? :/

At first glance, I don't believe that convicts should get government-funded SRS when non-convicts can't, although convicts paying their own out-of-pocket or insurance monies to get SRS provided to them within the prison medical system would be reasonable; then again, I'll admit to not knowing diddly squat about the prison medical system. At second glance, however, it does complicate things that prisoners are essentially receiving government-funded living in the first place; that's the tradeoff that we make as taxpayers and citizens when we decide to fund a prison system in the first place. If we would provide other healthcare to prisoners - which I believe we do - then we should provide SRS as well.

I do strenuously object to the original post's unjust characterization of prisoners as vile people. Certainly some are, but crimes are committed by a wide variety of people for a wide variety of reasons, and a guilty convict's crimes may range from a cold-hearted, premeditated murder for financial gain to an emotional, spur-of-the-moment retaliatory murder of a violently abusive spouse, to financial crimes, committing thefts and break-ins out of desperate poverty and hopelessness, etc. Inevitably, some percentage of convicts are wrongfully convicted, as well; our justice system is not infallible by any means. It should also be acknowledged that the culture of prisons increases the likelihood of recidivism, and can make people into real, hardened criminals who may not have been before; prison life is very dangerous, and provides enormous short-term incentives in terms of safety in numbers for prisoners to become involved in gangs and other activity that leads to further violence and crime. Ultimately, a more reform- and societal reintegration-minded prison system, designed to fight back against this dangerous gang culture and provide alternative avenues towards education and gainful employment, would be the best thing for all prisoners, transgender and otherwise.

It doesn't seem wise to me to simply punish convicts when such a mentality simply makes it more likely that when they're released, they'll commit more crimes, hurt more innocent people, and end up in prison again. Let us not forget that it is extraordinarily expensive to keep people in prison, as well as being demeaning and tending to turn people towards a career criminal lifestyle; imprisonment is extraordinarily expensive in both financial and human cost, and should not be undertaken lightly.

This issue basically touches on the deeper need for prison reform; it's not as simple as it may appear at first glance.

Interesting enough, I think that there's a positive aspect to all of this -- namely, that transition and SRS are medically necessary and makes the case for that. It might be coming from a prison system, but it's breaking a barrier of the idea that transition and SRS are simply "elective" and not medically necessary.

I think that it cold be possible to use this case to perhaps use as leverage to show that it's medicinally necessary and hopefully it could impact health insurance move to wardsx seening transition and SRS as a medically necessary procedure.

On the surface, of course it's not fair that a criminal is getting the treatment for free, while others do not.

I also think that this case is being used by the nay-sayers to make transition and SRS an optional elective surgery.

It's a very complex situation, although there's a silver lining. Although the situation might enrage people, every time they're another statement that it is medically necessary it helps in a way to push insurance companies it move SRS from elective towards necessary treatment. 

I think it builds a case, as well, about the affects of non-transitioning or being told that you're not a "real girl" and transition and SRS seen as non-medically necessary. I think the stress of that, and feeling like a freak, and most especially as a non-human, non-conforming, and being mentally torment shows an example of what happens when someone needs to transition and feels that he or she can't. The stress, in some people, can cause irrational and even illegal acts. In other words, the emotional stress of not being able to be who you are can cause very self-destructive behavior.

So, yeah, I can see how it feels unfair, and it definitely is especially for people who can't access the means to transition -- but this case is also bringing forth the major distress of not transitioning, and how it's medically necessary... and not just a gag.

You know, if she would have had access to information and needs to transition before the horrible event that got her into this situation (and jail time), she might not have one anything criminal in the first place.

One needs to keep in mind in those countries that do pay for srs, ARE usually the most heavily taxed places TO LIVE.I live in the  the most heavily taxed country in the world. My srs is covered where i live. I have more then paid  for my srs because of the heavy taxes that i have paid and will continue to pay.  On other hand if you are low incomed , which i am not, or don't have a job. I guess you could call it a freebie.