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"Aging Behind Bars" by James Ridgeway

By Real Cost of Prisons Project (The Sentencing Project)

Aging Behind Bars April 21, 2009 · By James Ridgeway Among the grotesque realities of modern American life is the exponential rise of geriatric prisoners?men and women in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and even 90s, who committed crimes decades ago, are feeble and ill, yet remain incarcerated not only as a punitive measure, but on the premise that are a threat to society. Many of these people want to get out of prison only so they can die in what many call the ?free world.? People age faster behind bars faster than they do on the outside: Studies have shown that prisoners in their 50s are on average physiologically 10 to 15 years older than their chronological age, so 55 is old in prison. And even by conventional standards, the United States is experiencing an exponential jump in the number of old people in prison...continue to full post

Full post as published by The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog on May 10, 2009 (boomark / email).