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Elizabeth Costenbader, PhD¹, Wendy K. Lam, PhD², Cassie Williams², Wendee M. Wechsberg, PhD², William A. Zule, DrPH³, and Rachel Middlesteadt Ellerson². (1) Behavioral Health Research Division, RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd., P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194, 919-541-7026, ecostenbader@rti.org, (2) Substance Abuse Treatment Evaluations and Interventions, RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194, (3) Substance Abuse Treatment Interventions and Evaluations, RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

The number of incarcerated African-American women has grown dramatically in the past 30 years, largely due to the emergence of crack cocaine. African Americans are disproportionately represented in criminal justice systems, and women offenders, in particular, have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, than men. These disparities pose challenges to understanding the intersection of criminal justice involvement, drug use, and HIV risk among African-American women. This study presents baseline data from a NIDA-funded HIV prevention intervention study, the North Carolina Women's CoOp, which targeted African-American women who use crack but are not receiving treatment. Of the 748 women (mean age 36), 491 reported ever having been to jail or prison. Women with any criminal justice involvement were compared with women with no such involvement on demographic, drug use, victimization and aggression, and mental and physical health variables. Bivariate comparisons (chi-square and independent t-tests) between women who have and have never been incarcerated find that women who have been incarcerated were significantly less likely to complete high school; more likely to report childhood physical and sexual abuse and substance use initiation before age 15; and report higher levels of psychological distress, aggression, victimization, criminal activity, and sex risk practices. African-American women who use crack and have incarceration histories are at higher risk for HIV than those who have never been incarcerated, and experience higher levels of psychological symptoms, victimization, and violence. The unique contextual needs of these women must be addressed in HIV interventions to help promote healthier lifestyles.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. to explore the nature of drug use, sex risk, and criminal justice involvement within a population of African-American women who use crack cocaine.
• 2. to identify psychological and ecological factors that are associated with incarceration history within a population of African-American women who use crack cocaine.

Keywords: African American, Criminal Justice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered