The Challenge of Managing Aging Prisoners

The incarcerated population is aging. Newly arrested individuals and those aging in prison from mandatory lengthy sentences contribute to this dynamic. Screening for impairment and developing effective interventions and treatment for the incarcerated elderly has become a substantial challenge. The number of U.S. prisoners aged 65 or older grew at 94 times the rate of the overall prison population between 2007-2012. In 2011 7.9% of state and federal inmates were 55 or older; there were 26,700 over age 65. The number of inmates over 60 years of age in U.K. prisons increased by 120% between 2002 and 2013. Similar growth trends are reported in Sweden, Japan, Australia and Canada. This growth is complicated by the fact that chronological age does not necessarily match ‘health age’ or health status in prison. As a result, many prison systems have adjusted their definition of ‘elderly’ down to age 55 (and some as low as 40) to reflect the relatively poor health status of aging men and women in their institutions. Typical correctional health services in prisons across the U.S. are already hard-pressed to keep up with increasing demands for care of aging inmates. The responsibility to provide adequate health services for prisoners remains despite shrinking local, county, state and federal budgets. This chapter reviews the current status and prevalence of the incarcerated elderly, and presents best practice models for their care.

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Comparing health status, disability, and access to care in older and younger inmates in the New South Wales corrections system

International Journal of Prisoner Health ◽

10.1108/ijph-04-2018-0017 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 153-161

Author(s):

Courtney Field ◽

Vicki Archer

Keyword(s):

Access To Care ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Content Type ◽

South Wales ◽

Aging Prisoners ◽

Older Inmates ◽

The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare the rates of chronic illness, disability and access to care between older and younger inmates who took part in a large epidemiological study in New South Wales, Australia. Design/methodology/approach Data are presented from a cross-sectional study based on a sample of inmates from correctional sites in NSW. The inclusion of results here was guided by the literature with regard to their relevance to older people, and older inmates in particular. Findings Results indicate that a higher proportion of older inmates suffer a range of chronic illnesses, with prevalence often many times higher than that of younger inmates. Older inmates are more likely to be classified as disabled and have a disability which impacts their mobility. Older inmates also reported accessing medical services in prison more recently than younger inmates and were more likely to have seen both nurses and general practitioners. Practical implications Older inmates appear to be considerably more resource intensive than younger inmates. The increasing proportion of inmates who are classified as older thus poses a pressing challenge to those working in the carceral space and, in particular, those responsible for providing healthcare to incarcerated people. Originality/value The impact of aging prisoners on resource demand has yet to be effectively measured. This study provides an important first step towards that goal.

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