When Communities Assess their AIDS Epidemics is a detailed ethnographic description of the AIDS epidemic in ten U.S. cities and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Employing a rapid ethnographic assessment methodology, cities from the Atlantic to the Pacific have implemented Project RARE (Rapid Assessment, Response, and Evaluation) efforts. These RARE projects examine the moving edge of the AIDS epidemic through descriptions of high-risk sites and identifications of segments of the populations at greatest risk. Utilizing a series of focus groups and street interviews, local field research teams gain an insider's perspective on HIV risk within social contexts. Dr. Benjamin P. Bowser, Dr. Ernest Quimby, and Dr. Merrill Singer have compiled these critical studies that analyze current conditions, challenges, and recommendations encountered by RARE. When Communities Assess their AIDS Epidemics is a powerful and engaging text that will appeal to those interested in public health and anthropology.

For 2005 and 2006, the study estimated that the CSEC population consisted of 3,946 youth; however, an important caveat to this estimate is noted that indicates this is a low estimate. An unexpected finding was the large number of boys in this population. Even with the alterations to the recruitment of research subjects designed to favor the recruitment of girls, boys still outnumbered girls in the sample. Black youth were estimated to be the largest single ethnic group in the CSEC population; however, there was a significant presence of Whites, Hispanics, and youth who identified themselves as multiracial. Reasons why youth enter CSEC markets are complex, but the chronic lack of jobs for youth in many neighborhoods is a significant factor. Many indicated they were still actively "looking for a job" and did not like being a prostitute to earn money. Girls, boys, and transgender youth all apparently entered the commercial sex market at about the age of 15 and a half. Unexpectedly, pimps were not key actors in bringing youth into the market or in controlling them once they were in the market. A high percentage of youth reported that their "friends" were responsible for their entry to the markets, although it seemed to researchers that their "friends" were sometimes acting on behalf of pimps. Almost all of the youth reported serving male customers, who were predominately White and between 25 and 55 years old. Information is also provided on law enforcement encounters and current services for these youth. Data were obtained from a sample of 329 youth recruited for this study.

When Communities Assess their AIDS Epidemics is a detailed ethnographic description of the AIDS epidemic in ten U.S. cities and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Employing a rapid ethnographic assessment methodology, cities from the Atlantic to the Pacific have implemented Project RARE (Rapid Assessment, Response, and Evaluation) efforts. These RARE projects examine the moving edge of the AIDS epidemic through descriptions of high-risk sites and identifications of segments of the populations at greatest risk. Utilizing a series of focus groups and street interviews, local field research teams gain an insider's perspective on HIV risk within social contexts. Dr. Benjamin P. Bowser, Dr. Ernest Quimby, and Dr. Merrill Singer have compiled these critical studies that analyze current conditions, challenges, and recommendations encountered by RARE. When Communities Assess their AIDS Epidemics is a powerful and engaging text that will appeal to those interested in public health and anthropology.