What proportion of people with hepatitis C pass through jails and prisons each year?

• A. No one.
• B. A small minority (about 5%).
• C. About one third.
• D. About one half.

Answer: (D)

Many people with hepatitis C come into contact with jail or prison because the factors that raise HCV risk—such as injection drug use and unstable housing—are common in the populations that end up incarcerated, and inmate populations turn over rapidly. That combination means a large share of people living with hepatitis C encounter the correctional system within a year. Among the given options, about half best reflects this reality: roughly 50% pass through jails or prisons in a year, which is larger than a small minority or a minority around one-third, and it’s certainly not zero. This highlights why corrections are a critical touchpoint for HCV screening, diagnosis, and linkage to treatment.