AIDS transmission in prisons should be regarded as a high priority for both corrections and public health policy, because HIV transmission in prisons has the potential to cause an HIV epidemic in the community at large. The majority of inmates are sexually active young heterosexual males serving short custodial sentences for relatively minor offenses. Upon release, they resume or establish sexual relationships, creating the potential for both perinatal and heterosexual transmission outside the recognized high-risk groups. Although policymakers recognize the seriousness of the problem, they have not yet established appropriate policies or provided funding. To do so, they must recognize that HIV prevention in prisons is inextricably linked with the politics of law and order and that an intelligent and effective approach must confront the ramifications of the political debate. Footnotes