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AIDS in Correctional Facilities: 1988 Update

NCJ Number
115522
Author(s)
T M Hammett
Date Published
1989
Length
58 pages
Annotation
Biomedical and epidemiological research on AIDS is summarized, and the problems HIV infection and AIDS pose for the correctional system are discussed.
Abstract
Progress has been made in understanding the structure and replication of HIV, but the interaction of HIV with the human host is less understood. Prospects for an effective vaccine are not favorable, although some progress has been made in developing therapeutic drugs to prolong the lives of AIDS patients. AIDS cases among correctional inmates nationwide total over 3,000; the distribution of cases across correctional systems and regions is uneven. HIV seroprevalence rates among inmates remain low, except in the Northeast. Fragmentary data show low rates of HIV transmission in prisons and jails, and no job-related cases of HIV infection or AIDS among correctional staff have been documented. Most correctional systems, especially at Federal and State levels, provide AIDS training for inmates and staff, but there continues to be a significant lack of uniformity in training programs. The debate on mass mandatory screening in correctional facilities continues. The trend toward mass screening seems to have slowed, and there appears to be more emphasis on voluntary and on-request testing. There has also been a trend toward case-by-case decisionmaking on housing and programs for inmates with HIV infection and AIDS. It is clear that medical and psychosocial services for inmates with HIV infection and AIDS should be as closely equivalent as possible to those services available in the community. With regard to confidentiality, correctional systems should avoid keeping lists of HIV-infected prisoners and flagging inmates' medical or other records because of potential violations of inmates' privacy rights. 159 references, 21 figures.