Trends in Oklahoma's aging prison inmates

Abstract

Prison populations are aging and Oklahoma's is no exception. Currently seven percent of Oklahoma's prison population is 50 years old or more, and this older population is growing at a faster rate than their younger counterparts. Changes in statutes related to sentencing, longer life expectancy, and an increase in crime committed by older individuals are all contributing to the situation. As prison populations age, the problems facing corrections officials will also change. The specialized needs of this particular segment of the prison population are not only different from those of traditionally younger inmates, but they are also diverse within the group. This trend towards a growing elderly prison population and its associated concerns and problems is forcing new thinking about incarceration.