The Growth of Older Inmate Populations: How Population Aging Explains Rising Age at Admission

• NCJ Number: 251676
• Journal: Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences Volume: 72 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2017 Pages: 888-900
• Author(s): J. Luallen; C. Cutler
• Date Published: September 2017
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2010-BJ-CX-K067
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the role of population aging in prison growth by investigating how the "baby boom" phenomenon of post-World War II has contributed to the growth of older inmate populations.

Abstract

Overall, the evidence found that population aging has played a significant role in explaining the growth of older inmate populations, particularly among inmates between 50 and 64 years old, contributing to as much as half of the observed increase in these groups since 2000. This finding contradicts the notion that population aging has little influence on the growth of prison populations and implies that older inmate groups are more sensitive to compositional changes in the general population. The researchers argue that prediction-based modeling of prison growth should take into account the impacts and consequences of demographic shifts among older prisoner populations. The study identified the impact of population aging using simulation methods that explain prison growth as the combination of criminal justice processes. (Publisher abstract modified)