At least 1/3 of the US prison population will be over 50 by 2030 according to the Osborne Association. The association is a New York based advocacy group that works for justice involving people and their families. They cited figures showing that even as states are working to reduce prison populations, the number of seniors in jail are growing.
Seniors in Jail
The number of older adults in jail is projected to grow 4,400 percent in the 50 year period between 1980 and 2030. It’s estimated that 400,000 seniors will be incarcerated.
According to statistics quoted by the researchers, adults over 50 make up just 3% of the total incarcerated population in 1993. That’s around 26,300 people.
Osborne Association Report
The association advocates for improved conditions in prisons and jails, better discharge planning, and expanded compassionate release of the elderly and infirm.
“Justice isn’t served by keeping elderly people locked up as their bodies and minds fail them and they grow infirm and die,” says Elizabeth Gaynes, who is president and CEO of the of the association.
The report is titled “The High Cost of Low Risk: The Crisis of America’s Aging Prison Population.” According to the report, there are 2 reasons why there is an increase in prison populations. The first is extreme sentences doled out during the tough on crime era. The second is the limited mechanisms for compassionate release. These reasons have driven what is now a costly and inhumane crisis that the system can’t handle.
The medical cost of caring for the growing senior population behind bars is also growing. This will add strains on the already resource limited corrections systems.
According to the data analyzed by the American Civil Liberties Union, it costs twice as much to incarcerate someone over 50. In some cases, it could cost up to 5 times more when medical costs are added.
Around half of the older prison population have some sort of mental illness or cognitive impairment. Some prisons are creating makeshift hospice wings and opening nursing wards for people with serious cognitive degeneration.
What’s even harder for inmates with cognitive decline may not remember why they are incarcerated. They may not even be able to follow the rules. This could be seen as disobedience and then they get punished. They could even be sent to solitary confinement.
Decareration
Research by the Pew Center on the States show that incarcerated people over 50 pose little public safety risk. They also have the lowest repeating offense rate than any other inmate demographic.
The association wants the system to look at the idea of justice differently. They want to try incarcerating less and even releasing some of the older inmates. Many of the older prisoners were arrested in their teens.
There is bipartisan support for decarceration for nonviolent offenders. The need for a new approach is underlined by the cost of housing elderly inmates. It’s now estimated to cost $16 billion a year.
The Osborne Association is trying to work out some policy idea that will work for everyone.
Read more here.