Mpungose S; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. TuPeD3706.
S. Mpungose, Private Bag X23, Empangeni Rail, 3910, South Africa, Tel.: +27-881-220 003, Fax: +27-35-772 37 30
Issues: Testing HIV positive is a traumatic experience for any person. For a prison inmate, whether awaiting trial or serving a sentence it is double tragedy. The fact that the notion of rehabilitation, reformation, and correction, in praxis, are still ellusive to our imprisonment system, articulating meaningful, important issues and problems faced by prisoners living with HIV/AIDS, becomes difficult. At present almost all South African prisons are more than 100% full, with an alarming number of HIV/AIDS cases being recorded everyday. Yet programmes geared towards HIV/AIDS education and prevention are almost virtually non-existent. Description: This paper is based on personal experiences as a prison inmate in three different South African prisons and research conducted in these and other prisons in the country. The paper explores the previously attempted programmes in prisons mean't mainly for HIV/AIDS awareness purposes, present system of imprisonment and programmes therein, and intergrate these elements into a model that can be used for HIV/AIDS prevention and education in prisons. Owing to societal attitudes towards prisoners in general, a support systems necessitated by both incarceration and HIV/AIDS is explored. Involved in these is an analysis of the need for training of counsellors and facilitators within the prison community, the uses of self-disclosure and person-centered philosophy as pertinent to HIV/AIDS prevention and education in prisons. Conclusion: Imprisonment alone has far reaching social and psychological ramifications, these are further exarcerbated by discovery that a prisoner is living with HIV/AIDS. This paper attempts to advance clear and effective ways that can be established to support and educate prison communities on HIV/AIDS. If prisons are to attract professional respect and continued community support, debates on practise and appropiate models of prevention and education must be allowed toemerge.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Counseling
- Educational Status
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Education
- Prisoners
- Prisons
- Teaching
- education
Other ID:
UI: 102239759
From Meeting Abstracts