The rates of HIV infection among incarcerated populations are astonishing. In light of these statistics, many researchers believe that jail and prison settings, which hold captive and high-risk populations, should be targeted for comprehensive HIV/AIDS educational programming. Previous research illustrates the benefits of using peer education as a cost-effective means to meet this goal. Without cardinal health information, inmates return to their communities with inadequate knowledge about behaviors that foster HIV transmission. This study, which encompasses 1,280 facilities and 1,427,279 inmates, examines the prevalence of HIV peer programs in U.S. prisons. The findings indicate that only 18 states, just 20% of U.S. prisons, have an HIV prison-based peer program. Despite the success of these programs, most facilities are not using them for educational or rehabilitative purposes.
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