Although the prevalence of HIV among Canadian prisoners is at least ten times higher than in the general community, far from enough is being done to prevent the spread of HIV infection in prisons and to provide prisoners living with HIV or AIDS with adequate treatment, support and care. We did this because the Workshop confirmed that, although provincial and federal prison systems have undertaken steps in the right direction, much more can and needs to be done. In particular, prisoners are still at an increased risk of contracting HIV in prisons, and those who are infected do not always receive the care, support, and treatment that would be available to them outside. Most people do not consider prisons as part of the community, but rather as a completely separate world with its own rules and regulations, where people are sent in order to be punished, not to be cared for.
Prisoners live in the community before, after and between prison sentences.
However, most of society does not seem to care about what happens to prisoners and how they are treated. Society still cares little about prisoners and more about what could happen if prisoners, infected and perhaps sick, are released into the community. In order to convince governments, prison systems, and the public that prisoners need to be provided with better care and the means to be able to protect themselves against contracting HIV infection, one has to argue that, unless we as a society do so, the public is at risk. In the eyes of many, prisoners do not seem to deserve care and compassion. This lack of care for prisoners is wrong, unfair, and based upon prejudice.