Welcoming Remarks of the Honorable James K. Stewart before a National Conference on AIDS and the Courts

• NCJ Number: 116530
• Author(s): J K Stewart
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 8 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Presentation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Presented at the National Conference on AIDS and the Courts, April 2, 1989, Miami, Florida

Annotation

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Director in a welcoming speech at a national conference on AIDS and the Courts indicates that AIDS and HIV infection are particularly significant for the criminal justice system because so many people processed through the system have histories of drug use or prostitution.

Abstract

AIDS confronts correctional officials with new medical and educational issues. Police also face such dilemmas as the risk of coming into physical contact with HIV-positive victims or arrestees and the need to respond promptly to service calls from all citizens. A variety of issues are involved in dealing with AIDS in the workplace, including real versus perceived transmission risk; education and training; and questions of health insurance, disability coverage, and workmen's compensation. The judicial system is also faced with new challenges in AIDS testing, discrimination, and legal precedents. Key goals of the NIJ are to educate the public and to work with Federal and State agencies to disseminate accurate information on AIDS to criminal justice professionals. The NIJ also sponsors AIDS research projects on the incidence of AIDS in prisons and jails, the relation between criminal justice and public health policies, AIDS education techniques, and the link between AIDS and crime. Additional concerns of the NIJ are victim rights versus discrimination in courtroom proceedings and the potential financial burden AIDS poses for the criminal justice system.