July 2016 Philadelphia Chapter of Pax Christi U.S.A.
AGING IN PRISON excerpts
By: Prince Christop A. Rivers lll
Gray Panthers Administrative Vice President of Operations
Elderly people are now 12% of Pennsylvania’s prison population. The number of people 50 years of age or older in Graterford prison alone has increased to 25% of its total population, and the state’s hospice care facility was expanded. The Department of Corrections definition of elderly is those over 50, for good reason. Prison culture stressors and lack of access to holistic health care cause “physiological aging” that could mean aging arrives fifteen years sooner for people in prison.
Prison age 50 is the new age 65!
Longer periods of incarceration only compound existing health issues and heighten the risk of further health problems that have a deteriorating effect on the bodies and minds of incarcerated people. It’s a hidden death penalty particularly for those incarcerated long term. Physiological age is a broad measure of health and wellbeing, related to the ability to withstand
stress. Prisons are loaded with stressors.
Mental Health
Mental Health issues become a serious stressor concern. Unfortunately, mental health issues among aging people in prison remain both under-reported and undertreated. One study found that 40% of older people in prison had a diagnosis of cognitive impairment, a rate that far exceeds that of their peers in the community. Early warning signs for the onset of
dementia and other mental health diagnoses are often hidden by the rigid routine of prison life.
An older incarcerated person as a result is often put in an accusatory and defensive mode of thought that becomes habitual. Prisons were simply not designed to be long-term care facilities by today’s standards of care. There are also architectural limitations that pose significant problems to the aging population and would be costly to fix, such as stairs and narrow doorways, wheelchair inaccessibility, and the lack of hand rails throughout showers, or ladders for the elderly to safely get into upper bunks. Aging individuals require structures to lean on for long waits in line and additional time to eat meals. In addition they often struggle getting to and from bed, especially if assigned to a top bunk.
Cost Factor
On average, nationally it costs almost twice as much to incarcerate someone aged 50 or over ($65,000) as a younger able bodied individual ($34,000). That seems to be the price of keeping the elderly in prison! These runaway costs are the con-
sequence of policies enacted in the 70s and 80s imposed upon a population that now has significant medical needs. It is
clear that any long-term use of prisons as makeshift nursing homes is financially unsustainable.
Despite the mounting costs of incarceration, the elderly in prison have extremely low recidivism rates and pose almost no threat to public safety. Arrest rates among older adults decline to a mere 2% by age 50 and are close to 0% by age 65.
In Pennsylvania, life sentence means life without the possibility of parole, and there is little hope for pardon or commutation of sentence. The age problem will only get larger with a do-nothing mindset.
Victim and community safety can be given the highest assurances with electronic monitoring and/or house arrest detentions at significantly reduced costs to YOU the taxpayers.….
… Ankle Bracelet pilot program is intended to be community based under supervision of City, County and State Probation and Parole, where technologies are better suited. …. This pilot program will significantly reduce cost while increasing access and restoring responsibility to the individuals assigned to it.
Recidivism/re-arrest rate for elderly below 1% represents lowest public safety risk. The first year the Ankle Bracelet Monitoring pilot program would take 50 to 100 applicants … that would be recognized as least likely through risk assessment tools and protocols to recidivate. As success warrants step increased goals shall follow with 200 second year, 400 third year, etc. Individuals must comply with … Parole, Probation and DOC … home plan. Of the initial group of individuals considerate 25% shall be veterans of the military. Any security details of implementation shall be resolved with vested authorities to ensure quality success of the pilot program.
This project initially should be implemented at Graterford and Muncy prisons applying to geriatric, chronic illnesses and veterans … 50 years of age and have completed 25 years of incarceration. ….
… Anyone who would like to know more about the Gray Panthers Aging-Out Pilot program should contact the Gray Panthers (see address below).
Prince Christop A. Rivers, III
#AF6681
Gray Panthers Organization
P.O. Box 244
Graterford, PA 9426-0244
