HIV in Prisons, 2020 – Statistical Tables

• NCJ Number: 302601
• Author(s): Laura M. Maruschak, Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Date Published: May 2022
• Publication Series: HIV in Prisons and Jails
• Publication Type: Publication

Description

This report provides data on persons in the custody of state and federal correctional authorities who were known to be living with HIV in 2020. The report presents national- and jurisdiction-level estimates of the number and rate of prisoners living with HIV while in the custody of state and federal correctional authorities. The report also provides the number and demographic characteristics of state and federal prisoners who died of AIDS-related illnesses. Data on HIV testing practices by jurisdiction are also included.

Highlights

• In 2020, an estimated 11,940 persons with HIV were in the custody of state and federal correctional authorities, down from 14,180 in 2019.
• The number of federal prisoners living with HIV decreased 23%, from 1,477 at yearend 2019 to 1,144 at yearend 2020, while the number in state prison declined 15%, from 12,710 to 10,790.
• From yearend 2019 to yearend 2020, the number of male prisoners living with HIV declined from 13,300 to 11,280 (down 15%) and the number of female prisoners declined from 880 to 660 (down 25%).
• From 2016 to 2019, there were 114 AIDS-related deaths among state and federal prisoners (107 among state prisoners and 7 among federal prisoners). (Data for 2020 are unavailable because BJS ceased collection of mortality data in state and local correctional facilities after the 2019 reference year.)