NCJ Number
216066
Date Published
2006
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This chapter reviews ongoing research that is examining the needs and experiences of female and male prison inmates who are over 50 years old, with attention to research in the United Kingdom.
Abstract
Research shows different types of older inmates. They include first-time offenders, offenders with previous convictions but who are serving their first prison sentence, repeat offenders who have been in and out of prison for significant periods of their lives, and those who have grown old in prison under a long-term or life sentence. The crimes committed by these various types of older offenders mirror those of young offenders; however, all of the groups of older inmates pose special needs in terms of health and social care, adjustment to prison conditions, the maintenance of kinship networks, and end-of-life issues. Older inmates bring special challenges to the prison system regarding the provision of purposeful activity, rehabilitation, and resettlement upon release. This chapter recommends that prisons provide separate housing for older inmates without creating a separate prison or excluding older inmates from the main prison environment. This housing approach would focus rehabilitative programming, peer interaction, special health services, and safety measures for older inmates. Upon their release, older offenders are less likely to reoffend; this suggests designing future prisons and alternatives to prison with the older offender in mind. The chapter offers suggestions for future research on older inmates in the United Kingdom. Research on older offenders has been conducted primarily in the United States. In contrast, there has been only one study in the United Kingdom that has addressed the needs of the elderly female and male prison population. The arguments and recommendations in this chapter are based on the findings of the British research. 53 references