Aging Prison Population: A Growing Concern in the US
America’s prison population is growing older at an alarming rate, with people 55 and over making up nearly 1 in 6 prisoners as of 2022, a fourfold increase since 2000. This trend is straining correctional systems that were not designed to care for older adults, according to a new report from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the University of Texas at Austin.
The report warns that if current trends continue, by 2030, as much as one-third of the US prison population will be over 50. This has significant implications for correctional systems, which are already facing competing pressures such as a nationwide crackdown on crime and public safety, tightening corrections budgets, and severe overcrowding and staffing shortages.
Causes and Consequences of the Aging Prison Population
The aging prison population is largely a product of the “tough-on-crime” era of the 1980s and 1990s, when lawmakers enacted punitive policies such as mandatory minimums, “three strikes” laws, and “truth-in-sentencing” statutes. These policies led to significantly longer sentences and fewer opportunities for early release, resulting in a large number of older adults being incarcerated.
The report highlights the growing price tag of incarcerating an aging population, with corrections spending data showing an upward trend in medical costs across some states. Prisons often lack accommodations for older adults, including accessible showers and beds, dementia care, and hospice services, putting them at greater risk of injury or premature death.
Reducing the Aging Prison Population: A Bipartisan Solution
Some experts argue that reducing the aging prison population could create common ground for policymakers, as it may lower prison spending without significantly affecting public safety. The report’s authors estimate that more than half of incarcerated people over 55 have already served at least 10 years, with nearly 16,000 behind bars for more than half their lives.
Older adults are less likely to reoffend, with recidivism rates reported at 18% in Colorado in 2020, 12% in South Carolina in 2021, and 6% in Florida in 2022. These rates are far below the national three-year rearrest rate of 66% for the general prison population.
In recent years, more states have explored measures to address the aging prison population, including legislation commonly called “second look” laws or policies that expand parole eligibility for older or seriously ill inmates. A new Maryland law, set to take effect on October 1, will allow certain incarcerated people to apply for geriatric parole.
For more information on the aging prison population and its implications, read the full report Here
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