The swine flu vaccine seems so controversial with objection arising from some people.  Can an inmate or convict in jail/prison lawfully refuse the vaccine?

I don't know the answer to your question but I get my compulsory H1N1 vaccination in two weeks.

Im not sure about flu shots, but we force medicate people (county jail) all the time when its court ordered that he inmate take his meds..

I doubt it would be a concern since preventing illness in a jail is unpossible..  We do a LOT of ICE stuff at our facility, and we've seen swine flu come through already..

they should be forced to be the lab rats of testing vaccines and medicine

Why in the hell should we waste resources on incarcerated scum?

the real queston is - is it lawfull not to give it to them ,  over population might not be as big of an issue as you thought

To answer the question.......  They cannot refuse.
When you are in custody of the state you have the
same essential status in regards to medical decision
making as a minor child.

Minor children have their medical decisions made by their
parents.  Persons in custody usually can have a say but
the final decision is made by the system....usually personified
by the officer in direct custody of the prisoner.

In ER lots of people in custody try to decline care......they get
it anyway if the officer that arrested them says they are getting
it.  

Your preferences in the matter may....or may not be taken under
consideration but you will recieve the care the state chooses for
you unless you are successful in appealing to a court and getting
a decision in the contrary.

Yes they can.

Especially when the alternative flu shot is administered through a .45 caliber needle.

Have not heard of any felon choosing the alternate.........yet.

If swine flu was really as bad as they say, hell just vaccinate the guards and general population to their own devices.  If the libs really believe their own crap they should have no issues with this approach.  I mean they believe in Darwinism and such.  It would simply be an issue of natural selection.  They strong would survive and the weaker subjects would succumb.

I would say, No.  Some religions expressly prohibit  medicines/drugs.  Also, IIRC flu vaccines involve the use of chicken eggs to grow the vaccine, as such a person with an egg allergy may have an adverse reaction to the shot.

Yup.  "Ward of the State"