Doing time, the experiences and needs of older people in prison

A report published by the Prison Reform Trust provides evidence that older prisoners face isolation and discrimination because the government is failing to meet their specialist health, social and resettlement needs, with some prisoners who use wheelchairs unable to join in day-to-day prison activities.

The report, Doing Time: the experiences and needs of older people in prison, supported by the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales, is being launched this morning at Wandsworth prison at an event attended by the Prisons Minister, David Hanson MP and older prisoners.

The latest official figures show that at the end of March 2008 there were 6,661 men and 316 women over the age of 50 in prison in England and Wales, approximately 8.5% of the prison population. Prisoners over the age 60 are the fastest growing age group in prison, with the number of men more than tripling between 1996 (699) and 2008 (2,242). There were 454 people over the age of 70.

The report reveals that often poor health and social care assessments can lead to loss of dignity and humiliation. Some incontinent prisoners are, for example kept locked in education classes without easy access to toilet facilities. One prisoner interviewed for the report said:

I have bladder trouble especially at night and I often wet my clothes and bedding. I am very embarrassed about this and don’t want to be a nuisance. When I mentioned this to my officer he laughed and said that we all have problems like that as we get older. But now I’m wetting myself in the daytime and can’t get to the toilet quick enough in education because it is locked. Now some of the younger men and officers are teasing me about my body smell and the stench in my cell.

Click here to read the full article: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/PressPolicy/News/vw/1/ItemID/20