Yahoo Health News
Feb. 25th, 2002 11:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
novapsycheBush Administration May Consider Condoms in Prisons
... "Evertz said that discussions stemming from the president's cabinet-level task force on AIDS, headed by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, have begun to show a willingness on the part of administration officials to confront the behavioral aspects of HIV. [...]
"[A]dministration officials are reportedly looking for ways to better target federal AIDS money toward blacks, who have a disproportionate and rising share of new HIV infections in the US. African Americans now account for 48% of the nation's new AIDS cases, but represent just 13% of the nation's population, according to federal statistics.
"Over half of all new HIV infections last year were also in African Americans, the figures show. [...]
"HIV infection rates in prisons run 500% above national averages, a statistic that has caused public health experts to brand them as 'amplification centers' where HIV spreads among inmates before returning to communities when those inmates return to society. [...]
"'If you weren't exposed to HIV in your community because of your drug use or your behavior, you are likely to be exposed in prison,' said Robert Fullilove, III, the associate dean of minority and community affairs at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health." {snip}
Hmm. On the surface, I can see why people feel the need to distribute condoms in such STD hotbeds such as prisons. On the other hand, I see that no one is actually addressing the problem of prison rape. That is unfortunate.
"Uhm... if you're gonna forcefully fuck someone up the ass, at least use these free condoms."
Sure.
... "Evertz said that discussions stemming from the president's cabinet-level task force on AIDS, headed by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, have begun to show a willingness on the part of administration officials to confront the behavioral aspects of HIV. [...]
"[A]dministration officials are reportedly looking for ways to better target federal AIDS money toward blacks, who have a disproportionate and rising share of new HIV infections in the US. African Americans now account for 48% of the nation's new AIDS cases, but represent just 13% of the nation's population, according to federal statistics.
"Over half of all new HIV infections last year were also in African Americans, the figures show. [...]
"HIV infection rates in prisons run 500% above national averages, a statistic that has caused public health experts to brand them as 'amplification centers' where HIV spreads among inmates before returning to communities when those inmates return to society. [...]
"'If you weren't exposed to HIV in your community because of your drug use or your behavior, you are likely to be exposed in prison,' said Robert Fullilove, III, the associate dean of minority and community affairs at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health." {snip}
Hmm. On the surface, I can see why people feel the need to distribute condoms in such STD hotbeds such as prisons. On the other hand, I see that no one is actually addressing the problem of prison rape. That is unfortunate.
"Uhm... if you're gonna forcefully fuck someone up the ass, at least use these free condoms."
Sure.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2002-02-25 09:48 pm (UTC)In order to address prison rape one would have to reform the whole prison system, including the authoritarion/fascist methods used by prison guards to keep the prisoners under control. And that's a lot harder than handing out condoms.