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[Ripclawe]

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/aug/03/prison-director-expecting-federal-suit-over-hivaid/

COLUMBIA — Jon Ozmint, director of the state prison system, told Gov. Mark Sanford today that he is expecting a lawsuit from the Obama administration about the policy to test and segregate inmates who have HIV and AIDS.

Ozmint said the U.S. Justice Department sent the state Department of Corrections a letter within the past month that raises issues with the agency's policies.

South Carolina and Alabama are the only states that order inmates with HIV and AIDs to be placed in separate housing.

South Carolina inmates are tested for the virus and disease when they arrive at prison. Those who are infected — many of whom Ozmint said don't know they are infected — are sent to live at the Corrections Department main campus off Broad River Road in Columbia.

Ozmint said the president is doing the "bidding" of the American Civil Liberties Union and operating on "left wing politics" that will harm inmates and further the spread of HIV and AIDS in South Carolina.

The alternative is to go the way of some other states and not test the inmates, Ozmint said. That would increase the risk of spreading the virus and disease among other prisoners and inmates in the event of assaults and sex, he said. It also would put the prison staff at a greater risk, he said.

The policy means that HIV- and AIDS-positive inmates are getting treatment and education on how to manage their health, Ozmint said. The prison system couldn't afford to hire specialists to provide HIV and AIDS care throughout the entire state to cover all the facilities, he said.

Treatment of an inmate with full-blown AIDS could cost as much as $2,000 a month, so reversing the policy could mean an immediate savings for the state. But Ozmint said the savings isn't worth the price.

"This is about whether you want more AIDS or less AIDS," Ozmint said.

Ozmint said the Corrections Department is prepared for a court challenge.

Sanford said the threat of a lawsuit over the policy is "crazy."

Victoria Middleton, executive director of the ACLU of South Carolina, said she applauds the Justice Department's apparent position.

“We are glad to hear that the Department of Justice appears to recognize the importance of dismantling this illegal, discriminatory and unnecessary policy. HIV prevention can and should be managed with information and risk-reduction programs – not with illegal stigma and isolation," Middleton said in a statement.

The U.S. Justice Department has not yet provided a response.

Josh Gelinas, communications director for the Corrections Department, said the agency is not releasing the letter from the Justice Department until the agency has completed its response and sent it to the federal government. The Post and Courier has requested a copy from the Justice Department as well.

Gelinas said the prison system created dormitories specifically for HIV-positive inmates in 1998, a decision that has been upheld by the courts. In the past, inmates have brought cases against the prisons over the policy.

"To be clear, inmates in these dormitories are allowed to attend activities with other inmates, including work, school and faith-based programs," Gelinas said in an e-mail.

Gelinas said that since the prisons began housing HIV-positive inmates together, only one instance of the disease being transmitted from one inmate to another was recorded. That happened last year, he said.

The number of HIV-positive inmates has dropped from 582 in 2000 to 420 as of Jan. 1, according to Gelinas. During that same time, the total prison population increased from 22,053 to 24,734.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Victoria Middleton, executive director of the ACLU of South Carolina, said she applauds the Justice Department's apparent position.

“We are glad to hear that the Department of Justice appears to recognize the importance of dismantling this illegal, discriminatory and unnecessary policy. HIV prevention can and should be managed with information and risk-reduction programs – not with illegal stigma and isolation," Middleton said in a statement.

Yeah, they'll anally rape you.

Looking at the stats, this seems like a good policy, why would anyone fight to have this overturned?

 

[jdogmoney]

How is the policy bad at all?

 

[Brannon]

This should be done in all prisons. Sucks if they got it, but that virus/condition needs to be reigned in.

 

[Zoe]

"We are glad to hear that the Department of Justice appears to recognize the importance of dismantling this illegal, discriminatory and unnecessary policy. HIV prevention can and should be managed with information and risk-reduction programs – not with illegal stigma and isolation," Middleton said in a statement.

How could any program like that be effective when prisoners are going in without knowing they're carriers and then don't have access to the normal resources once they're behind bars to actually find out?

 

[Rentahamster]

Well that's just dumb.

Preventing HIV infection > worrying about feelings.

 

[Zeke]

not seeing a problem with the current policy. They should be taken out of GP for their protection and the protection of other inmates.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

“We are glad to hear that the Department of Justice appears to recognize the importance of dismantling this illegal, discriminatory and unnecessary policy. HIV prevention can and should be managed with information and risk-reduction programs – not with illegal stigma and isolation," Middleton said in a statement

god damn moron....

 

[elrechazado]

Gogo justice department!

Two unpleasant topics of conversation most of us avoid are the epidemic of HIV/AIDS among prison inmates and a variety of sometimes violent events resulting in transmission of the disease. Some states long ago implemented policies to protect the uninfected part of the prison population while providing exceptional medical treatment and counseling to the infected population.

In South Carolina, it has worked so well since 1998 that there has only been a single transmission of HIV/AIDS to a noninfected prisoner. All that may change, however, thanks to a threat from Eric Holder's Justice Department.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/o...-prisons-1008381-100224289.html#ixzz0w9RdZyEt

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Clearly there is only one logical solutions to this.

Give everyone AIDS.

 

[Brannon]

god damn moron....

Exactly. And I know I keep saying this, but they keep ignoring the fact that some lifers do not care one bit about anything else and so do not give a damn about education and risk-reduction programs. WHAT IS THAT GOING TO DO FOR THEM?

Clearly there is only one logical solutions to this.

Give everyone AIDS.

Dibs on Jared!

 

[smurfx]

yay lets spread more aids so they won't have their feelings hurt.

 

[Ducarmel]

Wow I never knew a prison did this before. S. Carolina should be rewarded for this policy and should be adopted to all prisons. Seriously if your a prisoner some of your rights are forfeited anyway. I could give a rats ass for their right medical privacy.

 

[Bleepey]

Man i would probably agree with it. If prison rape is as bad as the Boondocks makes it out ot be and some arsehole who thinks he is a bootywarrior is having their way with people left right and centre, then the possibility of spreading HIV should be reduced.

 

[Ignis Fatuus]

Being sentenced to prison already means rape, it shouldn't also mean AIDS.

 

[Dude Abides]

I guess it's cheaper than trying to cut down on the "sometimes violent events." A "sometimes violent event" sounds like a bad thing to have happen.

 

[Brian Griffin]

Man i would probably agree with it. If prison rape is as bad as the Boondocks makes it out ot be and some arsehole who thinks he is a bootywarrior is having their way with people left right and centre, then the possibility of spreading HIV should be reduced.

:lol :lol :lol

Maybe they could just separate out the ones known to be violent and thus more likely to transmit it? Do the prisoners actually care about this? Maybe they like being off in their own space.

 

[Alucrid]

Man i would probably agree with it. If prison rape is as bad as the Boondocks makes it out ot be and some arsehole who thinks he is a bootywarrior is having their way with people left right and centre, then the possibility of spreading HIV should be reduced.

Now there's just two bootywarriors who reign supreme. One with AIDs/HIV and one without.

 

[Bleepey]

:lol :lol :lol

Maybe they could just separate out the ones known to be violent and thus more likely to transmit it? Do the prisoners actually care about this? Maybe they like being off in their own space.

In case you don't get the reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SLNOLCJC3A

 

[SmokyDave]

Simply amazing.

I propose that the next step is to release all the prisoners as their incarceration from the rest of society is exclusionary and discriminatory.