NCJ Number
112578
Journal
Nurturing Today Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: (1988) Pages: 20,34
Date Published
1988
Length
2 pages
Annotation
Informal contacts with inmates confined to a unit for male AIDS victims and HIV carriers at the California Department of Corrections' Vacaville Medical Facility are the basis for a discussion about poor relationships between inmates with AIDS and their families.
Abstract
The author, an architect who organized a volunteer support group for inmates in the AIDS unit, comments that travel time to the prison facility and the expense involved make it difficult for family members to take advantage of flexible visiting hours. In addition, unfounded fear of casual contact contributes to the lack of family contact. Most prisoners diagnosed with AIDS are well educated regarding the disease, as are their guards, in contrast to the ignorance in the prison and among inmate families. Men in the support group fear the stigma of AIDS once they are released since the diagnosis is not confidential. The article emphasizes that education is the most important element in improving relations between inmates with AIDS and their friends and families. One reference.