Columbia
University’s Center for Justice, with Release Aging People in Prison/ RAPP, the
Correctional Association of New York, the Osborne Association, the Be the
Evidence Project/Fordham University, and the Florence V. Burden Foundation,
coordinated a symposium in Spring of 2014 to discuss the rapidly growing
population of elderly and aging people in prison. The participants agreed that
while the overall prison population of New York State has declined in the past
decade, the number of people aged 50 and older has increased at an alarming
rate. The symposium provided the time and space for key stakeholders and actors
to think critically about how best to address the phenomenon of New York’s
aging prison population without compromising public safety. A series of papers
emerged from the symposium. Together, they provide a rich overview and analysis
of aging people in prison from some of the best thinkers in this field, who share
several key observations and recommendations: In New York State, the aging
prison population continues to rise. The racial disparities in the criminal
justice system are also reflected in the aging prison population—a vastly disproportionate
percentage of aging people in prison are Black men and women. Prisons were
not meant to be nursing homes and are poorly equipped to house an aging
population. The lack of medical or correctional staff with specialized
knowledge in geriatric care significantly impairs prisons from providing
appropriate care to people experiencing chronic medical problems. Incarcerating
the elderly has serious financial implications. The explosion in the
aging prison population undermines basic fairness, justice, and compassion.
The boom in the aging prison population is largely the result of tough-on-crime
sentencing laws and release policies. Public safety does not require
that we keep aging people in prison when they pose no risk to society. There
are several measures New York State should implement to reform parole policy
and release aging people from prison
Executive
Summary
Introduction
Recommendations
for Reform
Identifying
the Roots of the Problem
1.
An
Unnecessary Crisis: How Resolving the Problem of Aging in Prison Will Help
Dismantle Mass Incarceration in the United States – “If the risk is low, let
them go!” Mujahid Farid, Lead Organizer, Release Aging People in Prison/RAPP
2.
Aging
Behind Bars: Prison, Punishment, Parole, and Human Rights Jamie Fellner, Senior
Advisor, U.S. Program, Human Rights Watch
3.
The
Growth and Politicization of Life Imprisonment Marc Mauer, Executive Director,
The Sentencing Project
Experience Inside and Consequences
4.
Older
Adults in the New York State Prison System Brian Fischer, Former Commissioner,
New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
5.
The
Prospect of Aging in Prison: A Long[1]termer’s Perspective
Larry White, Hope Lives for Lifers Project
6.
The
High Fiscal Costs of Incarcerating the Elderly William Bunting, Economist,
American Civil Liberties Union
Reviewing
Barriers to Release
7.
A
Perspective on Some Procedures that Unfairly Delay Prisoner Release Edward R.
Hammock, Esq., Former Chair, New York State Board of Parole
Challenges
to Re-entry
8.
The
High Costs of Low Risk: The Crisis of America’s Aging Prison Population
(Abridged) Elizabeth Gaynes, President & CEO, the Osborne Association
9.
Let
Those Who Have Been There Guide Reentry Gloria Rubero
10.
New
York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Discharge
Planning Barriers: Potential Strategies Lynn Cortella, formerly of NYS
Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
11.
Combating
Employment Discrimination to Reduce Barriers to Reentry Sandra Pullman, Office
of the New York State Attorney General, Civil Rights Bureau
12.
Co-constructing
Community: A Conceptual Map for Reuniting Aging People in Prison to Families
and Communities Tina Maschi, Professor, Fordham University
13.
Elders
Behind Bars in the Broad Scope of Reducing Incarceration Soffiyah Elijah,
Executive Director, the Correctional Association of New York
Appendix: A
Model Plan for Elder Reentry; Community Re-integration Pilot Case Management
Model The Aging Reentry Task Force (Be The Evidence Project/Fordham University;
The Center for Justice at Columbia University; Florence V. Burden Foundation;
NYC Department for the Aging; Osborne Association; Release Aging People in
Prison/RAPP; and 30 other organizations and individuals)
Center for Justice at Columbia University
Roberts, S. (ed.) (2015). Aging in Prison: Reducing Elder Incarceration and Promoting Public Safety. Center for Justice at Columbia University. Aging in Prison: Reducing Elder Incarceration and Promoting Public Safety (prisonlegalnews.org)
