HIV infection behind bars.

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Abstract
Each year, 8 million individuals pass through correctional systems in the United States [1]. The average daily census of incarcerated individuals in the United States recently reached 2 million, giving the United States the dubious distinction of incarcerating more people per capita than any other country in the world [2]. This growth has been fueled over the past 20 years in large part by the “war on drugs,” which emphasizes policies of law enforcement, prosecution, and punishment [3]. During the period of 1980–1995, the incarcerated population increased by 239%, and drug-related convictions accounted for 30%–60% of this increase in jailed and imprisoned people [4].