NCJ Number
55203
Journal
Corrections Magazine Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 33-46
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES ELDERLY PRISONERS AND THEIR SPECIAL PROBLEMS. SINCE THEY MAKE UP A SMALL PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL INMATE POPULATION, ARE QUIET, AND ARE DIFFICULT TO MOTIVATE, PRISON STAFF OFTEN IGNORE THEM.
Abstract
NEW YORK STATE HAS APPROXIMATELY 180 PRISONERS OVER AGE 60, MICHIGAN HAS 120 OVER AGE 50, AND NORTH CAROLINA HAS 170 OVER 60. THESE ELDERLY PRISONERS ARE USUALLY FIRST-TIME OFFENDERS, HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF A VIOLENT CRIME (OFTEN HOMICIDE OF A SPOUSE, RELATIVE, OR NEIGHBOR), AND ARE USUALLY HEAVY USERS OF ALCOHOL. MANY ARE BEGINNING TO SUFFER THE CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS OF OLD AGE AND ARE AFRAID OF BEING VICTIMIZED BY YOUNGER, STRONGER INMATES. YET THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS HARMLESS INMATES AND SOME MUST BE KEPT UNDER SECURE CONDITIONS. MANY PRISONS HAVE SPECIAL UNITS FOR THE ELDERLY, SUCH AS THE ELDERLY AND HANDICAPPED UNIT IN NEW YORK STATE'S FISHKILL PRISON; THE U.S. BUREAU OF PRISONS OPENED ELDERLY UNITS IN FEDERAL PRISONS IN KENTUCKY AND TEXAS. STILL, THE ELDERLY PRISONER IS FORGOTTEN IN THE MAJORITY OF U.S. PRISONS. PRISON PROGRAMS ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH FAILING HEALTH AND STRENGTH, LITTLE MOTIVATION, SLIGHT CHANCE OF ACQUIRING EMPLOYMENT AFTER RELEASE, AND OFTEN LITTLE EDUCATION. PROJECT 60, A STATEWIDE PRIVATE ORGANIZATION IN PENNSYLVANIA, IS THE FIRST AND ALMOST THE ONLY ORGANIZATON PROVIDING SERIVCES EXCLUSIVELY TO ELDERLY INMATES. IN 1979, PROJECT 60 WAS FURNISHING COUNSELING AND OTHER SERVICES TO ABOUT 85 INMATES IN 8 INSTITUTIONS AND TO ABOUT 70 RELEASEES. THE STAFF WORKS WITH THE OFFENDERS TO BRING ABOUT SOME POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES, MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE IN PRISON, AND ASSIST THEM IN PLANNING THEIR FUTURE AFTER PRISON SINCE MOST ARE WITHOUT FAMILIES OR FRIENDS AND HAVE LITTLE CHANCE FOR EMPLOYMENT. HISTORIES OF FOUR ELDERLY INMATES ARE DESCRIBED. (DAG)