Dying in prison: sociocultural and psychosocial dynamics.

In January 1988, an inmate-staffed hospice volunteer program began operation at a federal correctional medical facility, with the goal of meeting the unique psychosocial, palliative, and spiritual needs of terminally ill prisoners, primarily men with AIDS and cancer. This paper discusses sociocultural and psychosocial characteristics of the incarcerated patients and the prison hospital setting. It presents a number of case examples. Particular attention is given to the effect that an environment of intensified anger, hostility, distrust, and despair has on the coping mechanisms of terminally ill, incarcerated patients.