It is estimated that of the forty million people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) worldwide approximately 14% to 16% live in South Africa. South Africa has one of the most severe HIV epidemics in the world. It is estimated that approximately 400 000 people are living with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in South Africa, in 2004. The majority of those infected with HIV are between 20 and 30 years. 

Offenders incarcerated in correctional centre are not impervious to HIV and AIDS. Offenders may enter the correctional facility having contracted the virus from behaviour prior to their arrest; others may get infected whilst in correctional centre from sharing tattoo needles, transmission via blood or as a result of sexual assault or same sex practices. Upon release, all ex-offenders will face HIV and AIDS in their communities, perhaps even in their families or themselves. 

Given that 41% of the correctional centre population is under 25 years of age, and that most offenders will return to their community after serving a term of imprisonment, Khulisa Crime Prevention Initiatives recognised the need to provide HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support education to young people in correctional centres. As a result, the KHULISA HIV/AIDS PEER EDUCATOR PROGRAMME was developed, and implemented in partnership with the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa. 

The purpose of the Khulisa HIV/AIDS Peer Educator programme was to provide extensive and sustainable HIV/AIDS education, counselling and support in twenty juvenile correctional centre and youth centres during 2003/4. The theoretical and strategic approach was to train peer educators in each of the twenty correctional centres and centres to gain lifelong learning on the subject and to equip them for suitable behaviour modification throughout their lives. In addition, these peer educators would enable the delivery of HIV and AIDS education to fellow offenders in their cells, sections and correctional centres. 

Key quantitative findings regarding the Khulisa HIV/AIDS Peer Educator Programme highlight that:

• 322 juvenile and youth offenders were trained as peer educators in 20 correctional facilities across the country: of which 248 offenders received certificates of competence and 65 received certificates of participation (10 offenders did not complete the training). 
• 72% (71) of the offenders trained as peer educators were still active in October 2004 in the seven correctional centres visited. Reasons cited by informants during the qualitative interviews for attrition indicated that many peer educators were released from correctional centre or had been transferred to different correctional centres or sections.
• The peer educators in the seven correctional centres sampled have reached over 1000 offenders. Only one correctional centre (Johannesburg Medium B) was unable to implement the programme (reasons are cited in the findings below).
• 65 DCS staff members were trained (and graduated) as peer educators in the correctional centres and a further 17 DCS members from correctional centre, area and region level were trained in Gauteng (total 82). 

The demographics of the peer educators who participated in the evaluation process indicate the following:

• 92% of the peer educators had passed a secondary education level grade, 3% had tertiary education and only 5% had achieved a primary grade. This is indicative of the selection criteria which stipulated the need for an ABET level 4 literacy skills (see previous section).
• 74% of the peer educators were convicted of property crimes (robbery, housebreaking, theft, attempted robbery); 20% for sexual assault and sexual violence; 18% for murder and attempted murder. Other crimes included hijacking, possession of illegal firearms, abuse and attack.
• The majority of the peer educators first had sexual intercourse between the ages of 14 and 16 years. Less than 5% indicated that they had never had sexual intercourse. 
• Before imprisonment, 40% of the peer educators indicated that they had forced someone to have sex with them.
• One peer educator indicated that he had forced someone to have sex while in a correctional centre. Two peer educators indicated that they had been forced to have sexual intercourse/anal sex while in correctional centre in exchange for money or gifts. However, when asked if they had ever had sexual intercourse in correctional centre, 14.5% of the offenders indicated that they had, compared to 83.9% who said no. This suggests that consentual sex occurs.

• 35% of the peer educators have had an HIV test.