NCJ Number
186939
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2001 Pages: 24-61
Date Published
February 2001
Length
38 pages
Annotation
This article analyzes HIV risk among felony drug offenders.
Abstract
HIV risk profiles were investigated using cluster analysis with 247 male felony drug offenders in New York City. Older age, troubled feelings over drug problems, memory and concentration difficulties, higher frequency of burglary charges, and physical abuse history were predictive of drug-related HIV risk. Family problems, spending free time with family or friends, troubled feelings over medical problems, driving under the influence of drugs, anxiety, high risk-taking, polysubstance use, and using wages for drugs were predictive of sex-related HIV risk. Limitations of this study include: (1) the study group was limited to heterosexual, African American and Hispanic American men; (2) non-availability of a cross-validation sample; (3) measurement error and attribution bias; (4) some interpersonal factors related to HIV risk were not included; and (5) measures of prior physical or sexual abuse were nonspecific. Nonetheless, the article concludes that intervention efforts for felony drug offenders need to address differential risk behaviors. Tables, note, references