AIDS in Prison

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that AIDS is the main cause of death in prison and is more prevalent there than in the general society. The author points out that prison conditions, which lead to AIDS-linked behaviors such as unprotected sex, shared needles and tattooing, are conducive to this contagion. The paper relates that there have been very limited attempts to inform prisoners of prevention, harm reduction and external services available to them after release and for their families and partners. The author argues that the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS cases in prison should be moved from prison officials to public health authorities.

From the Paper:

"What stares them on the face is the fact that more than 50% of inmates are minority and that HIV/AIDS has been on the rise among Latino and African American communities. Of the pediatric deaths in the USA, 80% were reported to have occurred among Blacks, a seeming case of genocide, by constraining the Blacks in this situation and then depriving them of treatment and prevention education. There has been much negligence committed by those with the responsibility to contain the epidemic, mostly in the form of education for both the infected and those at risk."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Center for Disease Control. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Prison Inmates, New York, New Jersey. A Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2001. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001223.htm
• Greene, Charla. HIV+ in Prison: the Shadow of Death Row. 1996. http://www.prisonactivist.org/road/outside/cgreene-hiv+row.html
• Michels, Ingo Ija and Stover, Heine. The Prevention of Infectious Diseases in Prison. Drugtext Web-Lab, 1995. http://www.drugtext.org/library/articles/florenz.html
• UNAIDS. Prisons and AIDS. Joint UN Programme on UNAIDS, 1997. http://www.unaids.org/publications/documents/sectors/pisons/prispve.pdf

More papers on AIDS in Prison:

• Essay # 14193 : "Aids In Prison"
• Research Paper # 25927 : "After-Care Programs for AIDS, STDs and TB Inmates"
• Research Paper # 11473 : "Health Care in Prisons"

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