Aging and dying behind prison bars

Picture this scene: Thousands of elderly people trapped in horrible, unsanitary conditions. They’re suffering from awful health problems, but can’t get proper health care. And there is no hope that they will ever get out.

This isn’t a part of a horror movie. It’s the New York prison system. Right now, nearly one in four people locked behind bars are 50 and older. Many are stuck there until they die.

It’s clear how this situation unfolded. For decades, our criminal justice system has dealt out incredibly harsh sentences, but without any evidence that such punishments were necessary or cost-effective. As a result, our prisons have essentially turned into inhumane nursing homes — trapping people who bear no risk to public safety.

This isn’t just a problem in New York. Nationwide, of the 200,000 people serving life sentences, nearly one-third are 55 or older.

Fortunately, momentum is building across the country for reforms that would re-evaluate long sentences for incarcerated people, according to a new report from my organization, The Sentencing Project. Here in New York, lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow many incarcerated people with extreme sentences to be eligible for parole. It’s crucial that they pass it before the legislative session ends in June.

The share of older New Yorkers behind bars has more than doubled in recent years. In 2007, 11% of the prison population was 50 or older. By 2017, that skyrocketed to 20%. Now, it’s 25%, and could go even higher.

Consider just some of the people trapped behind bars. Dino Caroselli, a 64-year-old man, has served nearly 30 years on a 65-year-to-life sentence. He was convicted of an attempted robbery, attempted aggravated assault and a prison fight, but has turned his life around. He has participated in rehabilitative programs, volunteered with several organizations, and helped incarcerated people with mental illness. Dino will be 99 at his first parole hearing.

Meanwhile, Robert Lind, a 74-year old man with prostate cancer, has been imprisoned since 1984. He was convicted of attempted murder and was sentenced to 50-years-to-life — and won’t be parole-eligible until 2032. And Stanley Bellamy, age 59, has been imprisoned since 1987 due to a second-degree murder and robbery conviction. Both Robert and Stanley have deeply transformed their lives and now help mentor younger men.

Elderly incarcerated people like these men have experienced horrible prison conditions and poor health care for decades, resulting in serious health problems. In fact, an incarcerated person’s health often matches that of a non-incarcerated person who is 10-15 years older. In other words, 55-year-olds in prison have the health of a 65 to 70-year-old. All in all, every year in prison takes an alarming two years off a person’s life expectancy, according to a study in the American Journal of Public Health.

Read the full article here.