December 11, 2007

Explaining the Low Rate of HIV in Jamaica’s Prisons

In a recent speech to 100 new correctional officers in Jamaica, the country’s national security minister, Derrick Smith, said that its prison system has one of the lowest HIV rates in the world, at about 3.3 percent, the Jamaica Gleaner, a daily national newspaper reports (Jamaica-gleaner.com, 12/11).

In his speech, Smith cited a sharp decline in sexual abuse and spread of diseases in prisons. He also praised probation aftercare and correctional officers for their assistance in helping achieve the lower rate.

However, the article also revealed that the rate may be attributable to a new Department of Correctional Services housing strategy, which separates people based on sexual orientation and whether or not they have a communicable disease.

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