NCJ Number
194695
Date Published
2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines the problems associated with the housing of elderly persons in prisons and jails.
Abstract
Data show that offenders over the age of 55 are more often going to prison and for lengthy sentences. Also, longer sentences mean that younger offenders will remain in prison into advanced age. Although elderly inmates compose just 10 percent of the total inmate population, these aging inmates make distinctive demands on already overburdened correctional institutions. Aging inmates require protection from other inmates, have increasing health care needs, and may require a modified environment in order to deal with physical limitations. Regarding housing, elderly inmates may be placed in dormitory settings because they are not typically a high security risk, but these dormitories should house other older inmates or low-risk inmates. If older inmates are housed in a group cell with between one and three other inmates, they must have lower bunks and reside with low-risk cell mates. Activities should be offered for elderly inmates in order to give purpose and interest to prison life, so as to enhance good mental and physical health. This may require a geriatric unit for activities accommodated to the physical and mental limitations of the elderly inmates. Access to an outside recreational area for exercise also promotes healthy lifestyles for elderly inmates. Elderly inmates also make more demands on health care services. This requires that correctional institutions either establish or contract for cost-effective health care services. 3 references