NCJ Number
144203
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (1993) Pages: 285-293
Date Published
1993
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed Mexican inmate knowledge and behavior concerning AIDS, with specific focus on sex and intravenous drug use, and found that Mexican inmates have a firm understanding of the manner in which AIDS is transmitted and that patterns of AIDS transmission in Mexican prisons differ somewhat from U.S. prisons.
Abstract
A questionnaire administered to inmates in two maximum- security prisons in Reynosa and Matamoros, each holding about 1,500 inmates, elicited information on respondent knowledge and behavior relevant to AIDS. Of 125 questionnaires disseminated at each prison, 80 were returned at Reynosa and 57 were returned at Matamoros. The final sample consisted of 109 males and 22 females. Among male respondents, 83 percent said their sexual orientation was heterosexual; 4 percent were homosexual, and 12 percent were bisexual. Prisoners were well aware of the manner in which AIDS is transmitted and understood that AIDS is not transmitted through casual contact. With respect to high-risk behavior, most respondents realized that prostitutes may carry the AIDS virus, and 90 percent were charged with drug-related offenses. Only 6.8 percent, however, admitted to intravenous drug abuse. The prevalence of AIDS, intravenous drug use, sexual behavior, and AIDS policies are compared for Mexican and U.S. prisons. 32 references, 12 notes, and 1 table