Comparison of AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among incarcerated adolescents and a public school sample in San Francisco.

Data collected from incarcerated youth (n = 113) and a public school sample (n = 802) demonstrate that both adolescent groups have a high level of AIDS knowledge. Incarcerated youth are less aware of HIV risk-reduction behaviors and report markedly higher rates of HIV risk behaviors. Incarcerated youth are at substantially increased risk of HIV infection relative to their school-based counterparts and should be a primary target of HIV prevention programs.