HIV in Prisons and Jails, 2002

• NCJ Number: 205333
• Author(s): Laura M. Maruschak, Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Date Published: December 2004
• Publication Series: HIV in Prisons and Jails
• Publication Type: Publication

Annotation

Provides the number of HIV-positive and active AIDS cases among state and federal prisoners at yearend 2002.

Abstract

Provides the number of HIV-positive and active AIDS cases among State and Federal prisoners at yearend 2002. This annual bulletin reports the number of AIDS-related deaths in prisons, a profile of those inmates who died, the number of female and male prisoners with AIDS, and a comparison of AIDS rates for the general and prisoner populations. Based on the 2002 Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, the report provides estimates of HIV infection among jail inmates by age, gender, race, Hispanic origin, education, marital status, and by current offense and selected risk factors such as prior drug use. Also included is information on AIDS-related deaths among jail inmates.

Highlights

• Between 1998 and 2002 the number of HIV-positive prisoners decreased about 7%, while the overall prison population grew almost 11%.
• At yearend 2002, 3.0% of all female State prison inmates were HIV positive, compared to 1.9% of males.
• In 2002 the overall rate of confirmed AIDS in the prison population (0.48%) was nearly 3½ times the rate in the U.S. general population (0.14%).