Abstract The following pages contain information on the AIDS and HIV epidemic within the United States prison system. The characteristics of these inmates will be discussed and how well this population adjusts to the environment. There are some treatments and services provided to these inmates in and outside the walls of the prison. The public views are not very friendly, but the criminal justice system is trying to make it easy for the inmates to return back to society with help on how to cope with the disease. HIV and AIDS in Prisons.
HIV and AIDS are a serious threat for prison populations in many countries, and presents significant challenges for prison and public health officials within the criminal justice system. The HIV rate among prisoners is 5 to 7 times higher than the general society. The rates are higher among African-American prisoners. (HIV in Prisons and Jails, 2013) In many states the criminal justice programs are trying to find ways to treat the diseases within the system and outside the system when the inmate is released. Characteristics In the prison system majority of the population with the disease are female inmates.
They are more than likely to be with multiple sexual partners, prostitutes, injection drug users, or people that have received tattoos from unsterile equipment. In 2008, there were about 20,449 inmates that were HIV positive within state and federal prison systems. Nearly half of the infected inmates are housed in the New York, Florida, and Texas state prison systems. Many of the challenges that these diseased offenders face is that not all of the prisons offer HIV testing unless there are symptoms, the inmate is known for injection drug use, or the inmate has another deadly disease like hepatitis C.
About fifteen states require HIV testing at the entry level. Some require testing during the inmates stay at the facility and others tend to test those inmates that are being released into society. The problem with an inmate having HIV or AIDS in the facility is very controversial. Depending on the rules of the prison many inmates that test positive for this disease is housed separately from the other inmates and their privacy of health is not quite private anymore. This causes a great concern for HIPAA.
Many of these inmates are not treated fairly because of their condition. They also loose privileges that if not positive they otherwise would have been capable of performing. The rights of these inmates are being violated in order to protect the other inmates and staff. Adjustments Many of these inmates have adjusted very well with the other inmates within the facility. It is the care or treatment that they are concerned with. One thing that is supposed to be guaranteed to all inmates is the right to seek medical attention if needed.
This right is not very well held inside prisons. Many people see being incarcerated as losing all rights but this is not the case they lose their right to liberty and freedom not to medical help, or any other constitutional rights that everyone else is capable of receiving outside of prison walls. The facilities are slowly trying to find better ways of handling these prisoners. They have tried to bring in outside therapy programs for infected inmates as well as providing lifelong counseling and re-entry programs especially for infected inmates.
These programs will help the inmates adjust to the inside of a prison as well as how to deal with the disease outside of prison if given the chance of re-entry. These programs are becoming very beneficial for many of the inmates, but one problem still exists. How are the prison systems trying to prevent transference of the disease inside the prisons walls? They say that the inmates are not allowed to make sexual activity inside but there are not measures in place to completely keep this from happening.
These inmates will find ways to have sexual conduct whether invited or not and they will be sure to not get caught. The Public’s View This population is not one population that the public ridicules so much. However they are in fear of these inmates getting out of prison and transferring the disease without notifying the other person that they are infected with HIV or AIDS. This can be a bigger problem than what people think especially if the partner to the inmate is unaware of the disease and goes to another partner with the disease they now unknowingly carry.
This can become a huge threat to society. These inmates need to also know that knowingly having intercourse with someone and knowingly being infected during intercourse without telling the other person can be a felony which could land them back behind bars. People need to learn that there is no such thing as safe sex and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking your partner to get tested for STDs. It protects you as well as them. Condoms are there for a reason not just to prevent pregnancy but also to keep many STDs from being passed from one person to another.
There should be programs in place to educate people about the transference of STDs and to let them know that most of these STDs are being passed around in our prison systems unknowingly. Case Study In 1995, a man walked into a Minneapolis convenience store with his fingers in his pocket pointed like a gun. He was hoping the police would shoot him and kill him. This man was Aaron Burks, Sr. who earlier that day found out he was HIV positive. Instead of being killed he was sentenced to ten years in prison. The robbery was his cry for help.
He did not want to die from his disease and did not want people to shame him because of his sexual identity. While incarcerated Burks learned about the disease and how he could receive treatments. When Burks was released he teamed up with Rev. Green who is on the board of directors for the Men and Women in Prison Ministries in Chicago. They are in a fight against the HIV and AIDS epidemic that is being spread throughout the prison systems of Illinois. Green is trying to pass a law that will allow the men and women in prisons to keep condoms in their possession.
Green has teamed up with the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and other people willing to fight for the cause. They say that the prisons allowing the prisoners to have condoms is groundwork for better prison and community health for people diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. Green is hoping they can start a pilot program in Cooke County Jail for the inmates who have these diseases. Green says that she realizes that it is illegal for these inmates to have sex in prison but that is not stopping them. She states, “Sex is as natural as breathing. You put a bunch of people in a cage; they’re going to find a way.
We should at least make sure they’re safe. ” (Trotter, 2011) Burks is now a free man. He lives in the Chicago area with his life partner and helps to educate people about the disease he was cursed with. He has been trying to learn how to reconcile with his HIV status, regain his faith, and find himself. He has learned from his struggles with this disease even though it was in all the wrong ways. If it had not been for that day in the convenience store and his cry for help his life would have ended worse than it will now. He is content with his life as it is now.
(Trotter, 2011) Conclusion There are many people out there right now that are suffering from the HIV and AIDS diseases. They may or may not know that they are infected. Many people who do live with these diseases have spent some time within a prison wall. I think it is time that we take action in educating these people in these diseases whether they are in prison or not. We may want them to suffer for their crimes but to suffer in an inhumane way is not necessary. They are receiving punishment enough losing freedom in society. They cannot walk our streets for years if ever again.
They should not have to live in fear of being raped by a man who is infected and them having to live with the disease to. We all know that sex is not something we can keep from happening. If we are not going to stop the sexual conduct in the prisons we could at least help protect those who are sexually active in our system. I am not saying to give the inmates free range to have sex but to better educate them and let them know that if it comes up then protect your body from STDs. This will also help to stop the transfer of diseases outside of prison as well.
References Austin, J. , & Irwin, J. (2012).It’s About Time: America’s Imprisonment Binge. Belmont, CA: Wasworth. HIV in Prisons and Jails. (2013, January 25). Retrieved from aidsinfonet. org: http://wwww. aidsinfonet. org/fact_sheets/view Muraskin, R. (2010). Key Correctional Issues. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Organization, W. H. , & UNAIDS. (2006). HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care, Treatment, and Support in Prison Settings. New York : United Nations. Trotter, G. (2011, November 12). Healing the Prison System. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from AIDS FOUNDATION OF CHICAGO: http://www. aidschicago. org/inside-story/394- healing-the-prison-system.