NCJ Number
240311
Date Published
January 2012
Length
110 pages
Annotation
This study documents the prevalence of the elderly in the U.S. prison population, along with age-related issues that pertain to the programs in which they participate and services they receive.
Abstract
Between 2007 and 2010, the number of sentenced State and Federal prisoners age 65 or older increased by 63 percent, while the overall population of sentenced prisoners increased only 0.7 percent during the same period. There are now 26,200 prisoners age 65 or older. It is increasingly costly for correctional systems to meet the needs of their elderly populations. Annual medical expenditures are three to eight times greater for older State prisoners than for other inmates. Older prisoners are more likely than younger ones to develop mobility impairments, hearing and vision loss, and cognitive limitations. Older inmates are also more likely to have chronic, disabling, and terminal illnesses. Prisoners who age while in prisons eventually require assisted living and nursing home levels of care. Although this study did not conduct the type of investigation necessary to evaluate the extent to which the human rights of older prisoners are respected in any given facility, this research, which included visits to 20 prisons, indicates that many older prisoners experience human rights violations. A significant reduction in the overall prison population, in the number of elderly inmates, and/or a significant increase in funding are required if prison systems are to house their elderly inmates in conditions that respect their rights. Policymakers should review sentencing and release laws and practices in order to determine which can be adjusted to reduce the elderly prisoner population without risking public safety. Meanwhile, corrections officials should review the conditions of confinement for their elderly prisoners, including the services and programs available to them. 8 tables and 1 figure