He said inmates often go to extreme and unsafe lengths for protection, using plastic wrap from their sandwiches, rubber gloves and empty candy wrappers during sex.
"One condom per week is not enough," Osorio said. "To believe they're doing it one time, come on."
According to a United Nations report published last year on HIV and AIDS in places of detention, about 1.9% of prisoners in the United States are known to be HIV-positive.
The report also says the issue is international and calls for more education, efforts to reduce the supply of drugs in institutions, and condom distribution as a way to combat the diseases.
Currently, only a few jails in the United States -- including some in San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia andWashington, D.C. -- offer condoms to inmates. Condoms are also available in prisons in Vermont.
Providing condoms to inmates seems like a "no-brainer," said Mary Sylla, who founded the Center for Health Justice, a nonprofit organization based in West Hollywood that focuses on reducing HIV cases in prisons.
She said that when condoms are offered, inmates do take them and reports of unsafe sexual activity decline.
Despite calls by health groups, most efforts to expand distribution have stalled, and state bills -- including one in California -- that could have led to widespread distribution of the prophylactics have been continuously voted down, died in committee or were vetoed.
Distributing condoms in jails is often a taboo issue, and authorities say they must balance the public health issue with their pledge to uphold the law.
"Sex in jails is against the law, but there is a public health issue that needs to be considered," Whitmore said. "There's a paradox here."
Some prison officials worry that inmates will use the condoms to attack prison guards by filling condoms with urine or feces and throwing them at guards in what is known as "gassing."
Richard L. Tatum, state president of the California Correctional Supervisors Organization, said his group opposes condom distribution programs in jails and prisons because inmates could use them to smuggle drugs and other contraband.
He said the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases within incarcerated populations is a problem, not only because of sex but also because of tattooing and other activities.
He said educational programs, not condoms, are the answer.
But Whitmore said the condom giveaways have not proved to be a problem in Men's Central.
