Growing Wave of Older Prisoners: A National Survey of Older Prisoners Health, Mental Health and Programming

• NCJ Number: 223912
• Journal: Corrections Today Volume: 70 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 70-72,74,76
• Author(s): Anthony A. Sterns; Greta Lax; Chad Sed; Patrick Keohane; Ronni S. Sterns
• Date Published: August 2008
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines issues associated with the rising age of the prison population in the United States.

Abstract

The findings confirm that issues concerning an aging prison population in U.S. correctional facilities can be averted by deliberately modifying existing facilities, personnel training, and programming to support and house frail older inmates. Increasing numbers of people in prison, combined with longer sentences, has created a stacking effect. Those with long sentences remain in prison, and each year, more people are added to the total, straining capacity in facilities throughout the United States. The article indicates a financial crisis growing in U.S. corrections that will compound the already strained budgetary climate, with the percentage of older prisoners increasing daily. After nearly three decades of truth-in-sentencing, mandatory sentences and three-strike laws, the length of sentences has increased, and the number of individuals behind bars has grown in turn. As time passes, these prisoners are becoming older. To anticipate the growing resource challenges of older prisoners, prison population and health data were collected through a recent national survey conducted by Creative Action LLC. To better understand what State departments of correction (DOCs) are doing about the growing number of older prisoners, a survey instrument was constructed. The survey’s three main goals were to establish the number of older prisoners and which States, if any, have higher concentrations; determine what facilities, services, and programs are already established to support older prisoners; and find out how many health and mental health professionals specializing in older adults currently staff dedicated older offender programs. The data collected by the survey consisted of responses from 41 States, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and 3 U.S. territories. The responding State DOCs represented 70 percent of all prisoners incarcerated under State jurisdiction. The survey was part of a National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging grant. 2 figures, 4 tables, and 4 notes