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January 23, 2006
Dignity Denied: The Price of Imprisoning Older Women
The report, Dignity Denied: the Price of Imprisoning Older Women in California, documents the conditions of confinement for the more than 350 women over the age of 55 in state prisons. Because of the "Three Strikes" law and a reluctance to grant parole, more Californians are growing older in prison than ever before. It is estimated that by 2022, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) will incarcerate about 30,000 elders. Due to health-related expenses, the annual cost of imprisoning an older person, at a conservative estimate, is at least $70,000, twice that of a younger prisoner. The report questions the wisdom of committing such vast economic resources for the continued punishment of older prisoners, the group with the lowest recidivism rate of any segment of the prison population.
http://prisonerswithchildren.org/news/dignity.htm
Posted by lois at January 23, 2006 10:56 PM