Elderly In Prison Essay

In the prison system, the elderly population has been rapidly increasing each year. The consequences of elderly inmates require more expensive care at a time when their health is danger to the prison world. Some are likely to die in prison as some elderly inmates refuse to take medication, while others are not properly monitoring their prescription properly. Researchers stated that elderly offender has been neglected due to their psychological and physical needs, which pose management and placement difficulties (Gross, 2007). Elderly inmates’ prisoners suffer from balance, agility, stamina, which can make their adaption to the prison world difficult. Also, changes in taste, salvation, and smell can lead to rapid decrease on their weight loss

It is believed by Fiscal Year 2030, nearly one-third of all prison inmates will be over the age of 59. For inmates that is suffering from terminal illness are likely to die in prison than a long-term care facilities. The legal barriers to providing a stable environment for elderly inmate and encounter lack of public sympathy. For example, the public can view the medical care for inmates to be a disrespect for those that cause harm to because they can feel that these prisoners are to be suffering for their crimes. Nancy Dubler and Budd Heyman noting that regardless of their crimes, they are entitled for medical care and compassion (Cohn, 1999).

All inmates are entitled to receive medical treatment, while serving their sentences. Placing elderly inmates into community corrections programs can eliminate the cost of medical care in the prison system. For example, California is debating whether to allow aging inmates to be released into hospice care while being monitoring with ankle bracelets, while New York have recommend an early release to aging inmates that does not pose a threat to society (Chen, 2009). In addition, in an effort to restructure care, all trained staff can develop a special care for individuals that seeks medical