By Michael Pittaro
InPublicSafety.com
Prisons are, in many respects, a microcosm of society. In 2030, the last baby boomer will turn 65 and one-in-five Americans will be older than 65. This aging population is also represented within the nation’s prisons system.
A comprehensive 2014 study by the Urban Institute found that the number of prisoners age 50 or older experienced a 330 percent increase from 1994 to 2011. The study examined the growth patterns in the largest correctional system in the United States, the Federal Bureau of Prisons. This study concluded that the growth rate of older prisoners—especially those 65 and older—is expected to increase significantly.
This increase in elderly prisoners will not only consume a considerable percentage of the federal prison budget, but it will also require that correctional officers receive training about how to care for and protect elderly prisoners.
Full story: Surge in Elderly Prisoners Poses Challenges for Nation’s Prisons