Abstract

A growing area of concern among prison reform advocates and human rights activists is the “greying prison population” or the continuous, unified growth in the number of older incarcerated individuals. Older individuals experience an accelerated aging process while incarcerated, but are less likely to reoffend upon release. While the aging prison population has in recent years become a focus of criminological and gerontological scholars, the lived experience of older formerly incarcerated individuals during the reentry process remains understudied. Using a qualitative approach, this cohort study seeks to further elucidate the unique needs, beliefs, and perceptions of this population within the context of an unprecedented public health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of interviews was conducted with participants in a comprehensive reentry program for formerly incarcerated older adults in New York City who had been released between 2019 and 2020. Participants (n = 9) reported that their greatest challenges during the reentry process were securing safe and stable housing, managing physical and mental health issues, and coping with trauma, social isolation, and interpersonal conflicts. Other criminogenic factors which are typically associated with recidivism were less frequently reported among the cohort, including challenges securing employment and substance abuse issues.

摘要

监狱改革倡导者和人权活动家日益关注的一个领域是“灰色监狱人口”或老年被监禁人数的持续、统一增长。老年人在被监禁期间会经历加速的衰老过程，但在获释后不太可能再次犯罪。尽管近年来监狱人口老龄化已成为犯罪学和老年学学者关注的焦点，但以前被监禁的老年人在再入狱过程中的生活经历仍未得到充分研究。该队列研究采用定性方法，旨在进一步阐明在史无前例的公共卫生危机 COVID-19 大流行的背景下这一人群的独特需求、信念和看法。n  = 9) 报告说，他们在再入境过程中面临的最大挑战是确保安全和稳定的住房、管理身心健康问题以及应对创伤、社会孤立和人际冲突。其他通常与累犯相关的犯罪因素在队列中报告的频率较低，包括确保就业和药物滥用问题的挑战。