particularly those that are understaffed

particularly those that are understaffed and overcrowded and that house large numbers of
persons with drug abuse problems, to be completely free of these activities, it is extremely
embarrassing for prison officials to publicly admit that these activities do in fact occur. Such
denial has been one of the reasons why the distribution of condoms, bleach and sterile
injection equipment has been limited within prisons [25].
For young people in prison, there are additional risks considering that they are often physically
weaker than other inmates are (youth are not always incarcerated separately from adults) and
may be forced to take part in drug related or sexually related activities.
Alfreda, an 18-year-old Hispanic female, contracted AIDS while in a youth lock-up in her teens.
She is one of many youths who are left only minimally supervised during the night shift in many
lock-ups. She describes the sexual environment as one of experimentation and curiosity. “We did it
to fight the boredom, to give us something to do,” she describes. Alfreda returned from the lockup
to her neighbourhood, where the same problems, (that is, a lack of supervision and
knowledge) existed, not only with the psychological scars of incarceration, but also with a
physical reminder of her unsafe sexual exploits while in the lock-up [26].
Prison populations can not be forgotten simply because they are closed off from society for a
certain time. Remember—prison inmates come from the community and will most likely also
return to the community.
Gay and lesbian youth
Many studies have concluded that the frequency and variety of drugs used by gay men is greater
than that of heterosexual men. For instance, 38.5 per cent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
youth admitted heavy drug use compared to only 22.5 per cent of their heterosexual peers in a
study in the United States [27]. The explanation for these findings usually involves the social
and emotional isolation. Up to 80 per cent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth report
feeling severely isolated socially and emotionally [28]. Substance abuse often results from an
attempt to manage stigma and shame or to deny their own feelings.
It is important not to assume that homosexuality causes drug or alcohol abuse. When gays,
lesbians and bisexuals internalize society’s homophobic attitudes and beliefs, the results can
be devastating. Society’s hatred becomes self-hatred. As a minority group, gays, lesbians and
bisexuals are victims of systemic and ongoing oppression. It can lead to feelings of alienation,
despair, low self-esteem, self-destructive behaviour, and substance abuse (Nicoloff and
Stiglitz, 1987). Some gays, lesbians and bisexuals resort to substances as a means to numb
the feelings of being different, to relieve emotional pain or to reduce inhibitions about their
sexual feelings.
Substance abuse often begins in early adolescence when youth first begin to struggle with their
sexual orientation. When surrounded by messages telling you are wrong and sick for who you are,
eventually you begin to believe it. Having to hide your identity and deal with homophobic