Interventions to address HIV in prisons: HIV care, treatment and support
Evidence for action technical paper
In many countries, the rates of HIV infection among prisoners are much higher than in the general population, and HCV rates are even higher.
Coincident with the emergence of HIV, many countries have experienced a significant increase in the prison population, resulting in prisons becoming an important source of health care for socially disadvantaged people, many of whom cycle in and out of prison. For example, in 1997, 20% to 26% of all HIV-positive people in the United States passed through a correctional facility. Out of the estimated 1600 people living with HIV in Ireland, 300 to 500 had been through the prison system.