The population of a prison system is a function of the number of people who enter and how long they stay. Although crime rates are lower than they were 10 years ago, and thirty-six states have reduced their imprisonment rates, extreme sentence lengths and narrow release mechanisms have led to a growing crisis of older adults in America’s prisons. By 2030, the population of people aged 50 and older is projected to account for one-third of all incarcerated people in the U.S., amounting to a staggering 4,400 percent increase over a fifty-year span. Addressing this crisis is perhaps one of the most salient and pressing challenges facing corrections administrators—and therefore, states and taxpayers—over the next 20 years.
This content has not been updated in more than 5 years. It may be outdated and links may no longer function. Please contact the NIC Helpdesk if you have any questions about this content or would like to report a broken link.
The High Costs of Low Risk: The Crisis of America’s Aging Prison Population
Notice about external resources
These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. NIC bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.