Elderly Persons in Prison This research examines the phenomeno

This research examines the phenomenon of elderly persons in prison in the United States. For purposes of this research, elderly is defined as age 55 and older.

THE PROPORTION OF ELDERLY PERSONS IN PRISON

In 1988, approximately 604,000 persons were federal and state prisoners (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1990). Of that number, approximately 20,000 were age 55 or older (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1991). Thus, in 1988, approximately 3.3 percent of the nation's prison population was age 55 or older, while that age group accounted for approximately 21.4 percent of the total population (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1991). Those data in and of themselves do not appear to constitute a significant problem. There are other factors, however, which cause the proportion of elderly persons in the prison population to be a cause of concern.

The fastest growing segment of the general population in the United States is the age 55 and older segment. Thus, if no other relevant factors changed, an increase in the proportion of elderly persons in the prison population could reasonably be anticipated in coming years. Lengthy and mandatory sentences following in the wake of harsher public attitudes towards all law breakers, however, is exacerbating the problem (Chaneles, 1987). Exceptionally long sentences, with little or no probability of parole, mean that many young persons sentenc

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ion for the 1824 year old age group, although itis not as high as the similar proportions for either the 2434 year old age group or the 3544 year old age group (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1991). Overall, persons aged 55 and older account for 2.9 percent of the crimes committed in the United States (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1991). This age group commits less than its average of 2.9 percent of all crimes with respect to crimes involving burglary, drugs, forgery, forcible rape, and robbery; however it commits more than its average of 2.9 percent of all crimes with respect to crimes involving aggravated assault, larceny, murder and manslaughter, and public order (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1991). These characteristics change to some extent, however, when the age 55 and older age group is split into two groupsthe 5564 age group and the 65 and older age group. The 5564 age group is responsible for 2.1 percent of all crimes committed in the United States. This age groups commits less than its average of 2.1 percent of all crimes with respect to crimes involving burglary, drugs, forgery, larceny, and robbery; however it commits more than its average of 2

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