Communicable Diseases in Correctional Facilities

Communicable diseases within corrections settings are prevalent among justice-involved individuals. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 5 million people are estimated to be under the supervision of U.S. adult correctional systems (in prison or jail, or on probation or parole). The corrections population (incarcerated and staff alike) is susceptible to infectious diseases through exposure to blood and other bodily fluids, drug injection, poor health care, prison overcrowding, demographics, security issues, lack of community support for rehabilitation programs, and high-risk behaviors. A higher prevalence of communicable diseases among people in prison compared with the general public is recognized as a public health issue as well as a major concern for the people affected, as the majority of incarcerated people return to their communities.