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The Success of HIV Prison-Based Peer Programming

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Female Prisoners, AIDS, and Peer Programs

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Psychology ((BRIEFSPSYCHOL))

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Abstract

This chapter will assess the numerous benefits HIV peer programs provide to correctional administrators. In addition to providing a cost-effective service to inmate population and increasing inmate knowledge regarding HIV transmission and prevention, HIV prison-based peer programs allow women offenders who worked as peers to obtain marketable job skills, obtain a higher purpose in life, cultivate conventional networks of support, limit the effects of prisonization and maladjustment and increase levels of institutional success (i.e., decreased disciplinary infractions) and post-release success (i.e., reduced recidivism). Findings from a national survey regarding the prevalence of HIV prison-based peer programs are discussed.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This study was conducted by the author in 2002. Data were collected over a 2-month period, covering three sets of HIV workshops. Each group of women received 2 weeks of HIV education. The study yielded a sample size of 35 women for the pre-test and 27 women for the post-test. The questionnaire was a revised version of the National Health Interview Survey AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Supplement (Kerwin, 1993), which obtains information on general levels of knowledge, transmission behaviors, and common misperceptions in regard to HIV infection.

  2. 2.

    See Appendix A for specific hypotheses.

  3. 3.

    The author worked with the women of ACE responsible for implementing the program and Sister Antonia, who was responsible for implementing CARE, to devise a list of all women who worked for both programs. Out of approximately 65 women identified, 49 were interviewed. Women not included were either deported, deceased, or unable to be located. Hence, 75% of all women who worked for both programs participated in this study.

  4. 4.

    Snowball sampling, though not ideal, was the only way to locate subjects. The DOCCS did not keep records on peer workers.

  5. 5.

    There are several limitations to the current study. The sample was not a random sample which can pose problems for generalizability. In these types of programs, selection-bias may pose an issue and there was no true control/comparison group. It was not feasible to have another set of women serve as a control in the prison setting. It is difficult to gain approval for prison research. Asking to disturb another group of women was impractical. As a result, the author made in-group comparisons and compared those who worked for ACE/CARE for 1 year/until their release to those who worked for ACE/CARE <1 year. Comparisons were also made between the women responsible for the implementation of the programs and those who began working for the program after their establishment.

  6. 6.

    Participants were asked to choose their own code name.

  7. 7.

    A score of one signified that there was a high to moderate level of attachment, while a score of zero signified that there was a low to no level of attachment. There were 14 questions to measure levels of attachment to coworkers and 14 questions to measure attachment to civilians.

  8. 8.

    Those who stayed with the program until their release and those responsible for the implementation of the program(s) had slightly higher levels of attachment to their coworkers, the civilians, and the program, than those who did not stay with the program until their release and those who worked for the program after its inception but it was not statistically significant. Specific questions can be located in Appendix B.

  9. 9.

    Those who stayed with the program until their release had slightly higher levels of attachment to their coworkers than those who did not stay with the program until their release. These differences proved to be statistically significant (Mann–Whitney U statistic  =  74; Wilcoxon W statistic  =  480). The associated p value of 0.000 was statistically significant at the <0.0005 level. No statistically significant differences existed among those responsible for program implementation. See Appendix B for specific questions.

  10. 10.

    See Appendix B for scored questions.

  11. 11.

    See Appendix B for questions.

  12. 12.

    See Appendix B for scoring.

  13. 13.

    It is illegal to be on public housing grounds if you do not live in the building or if you are not visiting someone who lives in the building. If you are visiting and no one is home to verify your visit, you can be arrested for trespassing.

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  1. Justice Studies, Berkeley College, Woodland Park, NJ, USA

    Kimberly Collica

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Collica, K. (2013). The Success of HIV Prison-Based Peer Programming. In: Female Prisoners, AIDS, and Peer Programs. SpringerBriefs in Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5110-5_5

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