{"id":2121,"date":"2023-02-14T20:14:30","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T20:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/data\/?page_id=2121"},"modified":"2023-02-17T00:01:23","modified_gmt":"2023-02-17T00:01:23","slug":"justice-in-aging","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/data\/justice-in-aging\/","title":{"rendered":"Justice in Aging"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Aging Population in Jails and Prisons<\/h2>\n

The incarceration rate for older adults has surged in recent decades. From 1999 to 2016, the number of people 55 and older in state or federal prisons increased 280 percent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In New York State prisons, despite an overall decline in the prison population, the proportion on older adults in the system has been rising steadily. Right now, in New York State prisons, approximately 8,000 individuals are 50+. This amounts to one in every four incarcerated people being an older adult, an increase from 12 percent of the prison population in 2008<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the start of February 2023, of the nearly 6,000 people in custody of the New York City Department of Correction (\u201cDOC\u201d) approximately 12 percent of those individuals are older than 50 years of age<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There is no consensus on what constitutes an older adult with respect to the justice-involved population. While in community settings, the age of 65 is considered the \u201cgeriatric\u201d threshold, researchers and policymakers often use 50 or 55 as the cut-off for justice-involved individuals.<\/p>\n

This difference reflects the widespread evidence of \u201caccelerated aging\u201d for older incarcerated people, where, due to increased exposure to a variety of risk factors for poor health, including incarceration itself, individuals present as 10-15 years older than their chronological age<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to new analysis from the New York City Council\u2019s data team<\/a>, an increasing proportion of individuals released from the New York State prison system are 50 and older. Over the past decade, each year, between 800 \u2013 1100 individuals returned to New York City after serving time in the prison system.<\/p>\n

After being released, the most common reason for a return to custody for this age demographic is due to a parole violation. These findings correlate with national trends. The ACLU<\/a> projects that by 2030 one-third of all people in prison will be aged 55 and older.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Older Adults in NYS DOCCS<\/a><\/h3>\n

Jan 1, 2023<\/small>
\n7,261 People (23%)<\/strong>
\n50+ Years Old<\/small><\/p>\n

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Older Adults in NYC DOC<\/a><\/h3>\n

Jan 1, 2023<\/small>
\n722 People (13%)<\/strong>
\n50+ Years Old<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Download the Data <\/i><\/a>
\nData Team Home <\/i><\/a>
\nLearn More About the Hearing <\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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NYS DOCCS Facilties: Population by Age<\/h3>\n
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Total Under NYS DOCCS Custody (Count)<\/strong>
\n2011 – 2021<\/small><\/p>\n