NCJ Number
175923
Date Published
1997
Length
98 pages
Annotation
A voluntary residential program for inmates in New South Wales, Australia, who test positive for HIV was evaluated with respect to its operations and setting and their impacts on its ability to achieve its goals.
Abstract
The Lifestyles Unit (LSU) opened in November 1992 in the Special Care Correctional Center at Long Bay for up to 8 inmates who have applied and been accepted to take part in the unit's 16-week program. The program aims to maintain the health and well-being of HIV-positive inmates in the New South Wales correctional system. The evaluation revealed that the LSU has enabled these inmates to learn about living with HIV, come to terms with being HIV-positive, reduce their stress and anxieties, obtain access to better and closer medical services, have a supportive peer setting, make informed decisions about lifestyle choices, and gain access to other resources. Shortcomings include limited space, the sharing of facilities with the crisis support unit, inadequate staff training, and other factors. Barriers to inmate participation in the LSU include lack of information, concerns about confidentiality, and other factors. Other issues relate to the future integration of inmates with acute hepatitis C infection into the LSU. Forty-two actions are recommended to address these issues. Tables, appended information from other countries and related materials, and 36 references