Date of Award
5-24-2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Criminal Justice
First Advisor
Mary Parker
Abstract
Drug courts were intended to allow non-violent drug offenders an alternative to imprisonment. Drug court programs have a focus on health as well as drug use, and HIV education is a required component of drug courts. Through a partnership with the AR Department of Health (ADH) and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ADH was able to provide an HIV intervention conducted by certified trainers and counselors. Research is limited on HIV education, delivery, and outcomes in drug court settings. The purpose of this study is to examine whether using an outside entity to deliver HIV education should prove to increase participant’s knowledge, reduce HIV stigma, and reduce risky behaviors related to drug use that can lead to HIV-transmission. Results showed that knowledge increased, stigma decreased, and risky behaviors decreased following the education program, though analyses showed changes in behavior were not directly related to changes in knowledge. Findings provide insights into the effectiveness of this method of delivery of an HIV intervention in drug courts.
Recommended Citation
Sockwell, LaTunja, "An Examination of Drug Court Clients’ Risky Behavior and Perceptions Following an HIV Education Program" (2021). Theses and Dissertations. 1004.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/1004
