On October 4, 2012, Reentry Central posted an article concerning a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) report that showed the rate of HIV/AIDS in America prisons has declined. The article reported:
AIDS-related deaths among all state and federal prisoners dropped from 24 deaths per 100,000 inmates in 2001 to five per 100,000 in 2010, according to a report by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). In 2010, 72 inmates in state prisons and seven in federal prisons died from AIDS-related causes.
In 2010, the estimated rate of HIV/AIDS among state and federal prisoners dropped to 146 cases per 10,000 inmates from 194 cases per 10,000 in 2001. This was an average decline of about three percent each year, consistent with the decline across states with small, medium and large prison inmate populations.
The number of male inmates in state or federal prisons who had HIV/AIDS declined from 19,027 at yearend 2009 to 18,337 at yearend 2010, while the number of females who had HIV/AIDS decreased from 1,853 to 1,756 over the one-year period.
And, although information concerning how HIV is transmitted has been known for decades, at least one state correctional system seems to have chosen to ignore scientific evidence, and treats HIV positive inmates as pariahs. In September of this year Reentry Central reported that the Alabama ACLU was taking the Alabama Department of Corrections to court for discriminating against inmates living with HIV. The ADOC still segregates inmates who have been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, and forces them to wear white cloth armbands, as a sign that they have the disease. If that wasn’t enough, the inmates are denied rehabilitation programs.
Now, just in time for International World AIDS Day on December 1, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc. (GMHC) has issued a new and detailed report on HIV/AIDS in prison, demonstrating that even though the death and infection rates among inmates have declined, HIV/AIDS still exists, and existing issues deserve further attention.
The GMHC report,Fenced In: HIV/AIDS in the US Criminal Justice System, (which can be read by clicking on the Read More link at the end of this article) delivers some sobering statistics:
There are currently 2.2 million people in jail or prison in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), about 1.5% of all inmates in state and federal prisons have HIV or AIDS (21,987 persons). That percentage is four times higher than the prevalence rate of HIV in the general population.
That percentage is four times higher than the prevalence rate of HIV in the general population. The BJS reports that Florida (3,626), New York (3,500), and Texas (2,450) have the largest number of inmates who are HIV-positive.
The BJS also reports that the rate of infection for female inmates (1.9%) is even higher than that of their male counterparts (1.5%).
Fenced In examines all aspects of HIV/AIDS and prisoners, and addresses pre-incarceration issues, and post-incarceration concerns. The report includes the following segments:
Structural Drivers of HIV in US Correctional Facilities
Risk of Contracting HIV in Prison
Healthcare in Prisons and Jails
Innovative Prevention Efforts
HIV Post Incarceration
And also offers a Summary of Policy Recommendations.
To learn more about Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Inc., click here to go to website
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