Athree-decade convergence of trends in the American correctional system has led to significant growth in the population of aging inmates. As the number of aging inmates grows, so do financial and facilities costs to state departments of correction (DOCs) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). Even if forethought was given to the growth of this “special needs” inmate population, current federal and state budget difficulties hinder the ability to address the environmental, health-related, and social needs of these inmates.
This article has five goals. First, the increase in the number of older persons in America and in U.S. prison systems will be documented, an operational definition of the aging inmate will be provided, and the characteristics of this special needs population will be described. Second, a historical review presents the convergence of three trends that have led to an increase in the aging inmate population. Third, the increasing costs of caring for and managing this population will be described, showing the increasing financial burden aging inmates place on state DOCs and the FBOP. Fourth, policies and programs that state DOCs and the FBOP use to manage and provide care for aging inmates will be described. Finally, a gerontological perspective, focusing on age, period, and cohort effects, will be presented and employed to suggest a disaggregation of aging inmate care and management issues that will optimize policy and program responses. A multidisciplinary approach should both enhance our understanding of aging inmate issues and challenges and help us evaluate potential policy responses.