A pilot program that was cut by Stephen Harper's conservative government was found to reduce the rate of HIV, increase awareness of blood-borne infections (HIV, HepC, HepB), increased employment for prisoners, and resulted in the safer disposal of used sharps. Of course, in the light of this new report from Corrections Service Canada (not known for their embrace of harm reduction programs) the Conservative government has seen the error in its ways, right? Nope.  The Sudbury Star online has an article on the issue which includes this repsonse from the Conservatives:

 A spokesman for Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan said the federal government has no plan to reverse its decision and resurrect the program.

 It is often not on radar of many Canadians, but the rights (including human rights) of those encarcerated in Canadian prisons are not always respected. While some rights of those encacerated are restricted as part of their punishment, a prison sentence does not restrict or remove all of their rights. Their right to the same level of healthcare is one that is not restricted. Yet, this is still a major issue voiced by those living with HIV or Hep C while incacerated, as well as prisoners with drug addiciton seeking treatment while incacerated. There are many other examples.

Prisoners currently do not have access to clean syringes to prevent the spread of HIV and Hep C Despite Needle Exchange Program (NEPs) being available in many other countries. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, a world-renowned organization that consults with governments and groups around the world, has the following on their website:

In many countries, including Canada, rates of HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) infection among prisoners are significantly higher than those found in the general population.

Despite the evidence and informed opinion supporting harm reduction measures in prisons to reduce the spread of HIV and HCV in prisons, authorities in most jurisdictions have failed to take decisive action. The failure to provide access to essential prevention, care and treatment is a violation of prisoners' right to health as established by international law.

Some countries have implemented programs — peer education, condom distribution, opioid substitution therapy and needle exchange, for example — to reduce behaviours with a high risk of transmitting HIV or HCV. Similar programs are used in the community at large to prevent the spread of these viruses.

But in other countries, the lack of prison needle exchange programs, unprotected sexual intercourse and sexual violence are all factors driving the worsening HIV epidemic in prisons. Higher infection rates ultimately result in greater health-care costs. And, since most prisoners are eventually released back into the community, the public health implications of imprisoning non-violent people who use drugs cannot and should not be ignored.

Both in Canada and internationally, we promote the human rights of prisoners to have access to HIV prevention, treatment and support services equivalent to those available to in the community.

Another group working locally to provide advocacy, education, and support for those living with HIV and Hep C in prison is PASAN. Their website should be checked out to learn more about the issue, as should Prisoner Justice in Canada.

It is important to remember that human rights abuses occur around the world, and at home here in Canada. When we view people has 'other', as 'less than', it is easy to not think about the rights of others, or to rationalize the abuse as just part of the punishment. This is not acceptable. If we truly are concerned about public health and basic human rights, we absolutely must be concerned with how people are treated while incacerated, and who exactly we are incacerating.