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PRISONS PAULTED
ON COMBATING AIDS

National Panei Sees Wasted
Chance for Treating and
Educating inmates

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By PHILIP J. HILTS
Speciai ta The New Yor Times

WASHINGTON, Marcn 28 — While
prisons nave more peopie infected
with AIDS than any other public in-
sutution. the National Commission
on AIDS said today, prison officials
have wasted an opportunity to treat
and educate those inmates.

The commission said in a report
that there was “negligible transmis-
ston”’ of the disease in prisons. but
that a large number of prisoners
Drougnt the disease to prison. Two to
Six percent of ali inmates are infect-
ed, aS against iust one-tenth of 1 per-
cent for the nation’s population as a
whole.

In some areas. the rate is suil high-
er. In New York State prisons. about
i7 Bercent ot ail prisoners are in-
fectea with the human immunodett-
ciency virus, which causes AIDS.

Dr. June Osborn. cnairwoman of
the commission. whose 15 members
are appointed bv either the President
or Congress. said that in their visits

~

-O Prisons and in researcn. commis-
S10M MEMmoe.’sS Were Struck BV tne op-
portunity being Wasted in orison.

“Peopie in prison include manv
ugh-risk people, ' :he said. And con-
.Tary to tne view “that we lock peo-
pie in ial ana throw away the Key,"
she said. the average tenetn of stav
in the state prison in Fishkill, NY,
“st example. is 18 montns.

‘“Peopie in prison will be coming
out again soon, ana these are the peo-
sle who nave tne hardest time get-
‘ing access (0 Care outside orison.,
sme Sala. ~“ev are tne ones wno get
‘he least eaucation on inis issue. ve
have oeen squandering a mator pup:
he hea:th opvortunitv.’’

She sala eaucation ana prevention
programs. :nciuaing peer counseineg
and distripution of condoms in
prison. could piay an important roje
un checking the spread of AIDS.

Recommendations oi Panei

The commission's recommenda-
tions include these:

§The Public Heaith Service shouid
devetop guidelines for prevention
and treatment of AIDS ana related
disease in ail jails and prisons.

GDrug ‘reatment on demand
should be made available both inside
and outside prisons. since arug use !s
a mator means of transmitting
AIDS.

9AIDS eaucation ana orevention
Programs snouwia be manaatorv tor
ail new prison inmates as well as
staff members. AIDS tesune and
counseling snouid be available to au
orisoners.

‘A Very Wide Brush’

Theocore Hammett. a semor ana-
iyst for Abt Associates. a social
policy researcn firm. said there were
about 790.000 orisoners :n Federai
and State orisons. ang about an equal
numoer in citv ana county tals.

James 8 Flateau. a spokesman tor
the New York State Department ot
Correctional Services. saia the com-
TUSSION reoort ‘“naints an entire ¢vs-
"em rationwide with 2 .verv wide
orusnh. anda assigns to everv orison
~ome assumptions that mav not oe
‘Tu€ in a great manv cases.

He said New York was one or the
“Irst states to adopt Al DS-designatea
‘Treatment wards. the first svsterm in
the nation to contract witn an outside
hospital to operate sucn a unt. and
ane of the first to use tne drug AZT (to
"T@AL Orisoners inrectea witn AIDS.

About two-tniras of tne state prison
avstem s annual neaitn cuaRget 91
$100 milion is spent tor AIDS treart-
Ment, ne sala.

ew ork Cime

NE* VORE. =RIDA

oe. A li