NCJ Number
128669
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 34 Issue: 3 Dated: (December 1990) Pages: 197-212
Date Published
1990
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article describes a study examining elderly prisoners in a correctional facility in southwestern United States and compares their disciplinary histories.
Abstract
Out of 1970 inmates, 179 (9 percent) were born before 1938 and qualified for the elderly inmate category. Of these 74 (41 percent) were disciplined for at least one offense at some time during incarceration, and 105 had no disciplinary action on their record. Seventeen of the 74 disciplined inmates were identified as problem inmates on the basis of their line status, custody level, and disciplinary records. The three groups -- never disciplined, disciplined, and problem inmates -- were then compared regarding descriptive variables of current age, age at time of incarceration, race, prior incarceration, offenses of record, violent crime conviction, and life sentence as well as health and prison life variables. Few significant differences were found. These data indicate that the elderly inmates resemble the general prison population except for medical problems. Unexpected problems could develop from the 40 percent disciplined elderly inmates if facilities and programs are geared toward the stereotype of docile and infirm elderly inmates. 4 tables and 32 references