The end to society
The elderly inmate’s population has grew a lot. “In 2003 prisoners 45 years and older accounted for about 17.8% of sentenced inmates, up from 13% in 1995 (Fields, 2005). Inmates 50 and older are now the fastest-growing portion of the prison population (Associated Press, 2005), increasing at a rate three times faster than the general prison population.” Craig-Moreland and McLaurine identify 4 categories of elderly offenders and they are:
first offenders who were sentenced to prison after the age of 50 juveniles who entered the prison system at a young age and grow old in prison as a result of a life sentence prison recidivists who have served multiple sentences
Chronic offenders who have the propensity for criminal activity but have never been incarcerated.
Elderly inmates experience some health issues such as aging, including chronic health conditions and emotional disorders. Most prisons are enclosed providing little outside ventilation and inmates have limited exposure to outside air. Chronic respiratory diseases are typically present subjecting inmates to contaminated airflow in their living spaces. Asthma and upper respiratory infections are a common health hazard in such environments.
Some challenges is that the elderly need more attention than younger inmates because of their health issues. Also the elderly population is one reason for overcrowding in jails and prisons. Also they present another problem by having more money spent to deal with their medical expensive. According to the article I read there are a few approaches for caring for the aging inmate and those approaches are as followed:
Collect baseline data on each elderly inmate;
Modify inmate classification systems to facilitate mainstreaming of elderly inmates if this is consistent with their needs and inmate safety;
Adapt existing facilities to ensure equitable treatment of the elderly;
Modify existing work and education programs to include health care education,
first offenders who were sentenced to prison after the age of 50 juveniles who entered the prison system at a young age and grow old in prison as a result of a life sentence prison recidivists who have served multiple sentences
Chronic offenders who have the propensity for criminal activity but have never been incarcerated.
Elderly inmates experience some health issues such as aging, including chronic health conditions and emotional disorders. Most prisons are enclosed providing little outside ventilation and inmates have limited exposure to outside air. Chronic respiratory diseases are typically present subjecting inmates to contaminated airflow in their living spaces. Asthma and upper respiratory infections are a common health hazard in such environments.
Some challenges is that the elderly need more attention than younger inmates because of their health issues. Also the elderly population is one reason for overcrowding in jails and prisons. Also they present another problem by having more money spent to deal with their medical expensive. According to the article I read there are a few approaches for caring for the aging inmate and those approaches are as followed:
Collect baseline data on each elderly inmate;
Modify inmate classification systems to facilitate mainstreaming of elderly inmates if this is consistent with their needs and inmate safety;
Adapt existing facilities to ensure equitable treatment of the elderly;
Modify existing work and education programs to include health care education,