AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) in Prison: A Crisis in New York State Corrections

• NCJ Number: 112752
• Author(s): C Potler
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 42 pages
• Corporate Author: Correctional Assoc of New York
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report addresses five areas regarding the situation of AIDS/ARC in the New York State prison system: education and training for staff and prisoners, segregation of prisoners with AIDS/ARC, medical care and treatment for these inmates, and duration of their incarceration.

Abstract

Information sources for the report included visits to 10 prisons between July 1986 and November 1987. The NYS prison system houses more inmates with AIDS than any other State, and 525 persons with AIDS have died while in custody from 1981 through April 1988. The report concludes that much misinformation regarding AIDS exists among inmates and staff, but found no systematic, ongoing AIDS education and training programs for either group. In addition, current department of corrections policies provide little practical guidance to facility administrators on housing accommodations and programming for inmates with AIDS/ARC. The report discusses the psychosocial aspects of AIDS/ARC and assesses medical care, with attention to testing, experimental drugs, clinical equipment, confidentiality, medication, and access to outside hospitals. Another issue examined is the appropriateness and high costs of incarcerating inmates with AIDS. Corrective recommendations cover the five areas examined by the report. 42 footnotes.