At America's Expense: The Mass Incarceration of the Elderly
Publication year:
2012
| Cataloged on:
Nov. 08, 2012
ANNOTATION: Data-driven findings and recommendations for addressing the challenges of incarcerating aging prisoners are explained. This report is split into two parts: the aging prison population and its consequences—demographics of a rapidly graying prison population, lower public safety risks of aging prisoners, and the high costs of incarcerating the elderly; and recommendations—short-term reforms, and systemic reform and rethinking the disproportionate sentencing paradigm. Also included is a “Model Conditional Release of Aging Prisoners Act.” “States can implement mechanisms to determine which aging prisoners pose little safety risk and can be released. Releasing many of these individuals will ease the burden on taxpayers and reunite prisoners with their families to care for them … Based on statistical analyses of available data, this report estimates that releasing an aging prisoner will save states, on average, $66,294 per year per prisoner, including healthcare, other public benefits, parole, and any housing costs or tax revenue. Even on the low end, states will save at least $28,362 per year per released aging prisoner” (p. ii).
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