Ageing in Prison

Abstract

This chapter explores the nature, context and consequences of ageing in prison, focusing on the experiences and needs of older prisoners, and using the work of Nancy Fraser (2005, 2010) as an innovative and original framework for ana- lysing and exploring ageing in prison as a social justice issue. In England and Wales, and many other countries, including Ireland, the US and Australia, older prisoners, including older women, make up a significant and growing minority within a penal estate populated primarily by young men (Davoren et al., 2015; Mann, 2012; Baidawi et al., 2011; Human Rights Watch, 2012; Stevens et al., 2018). Although older prisoner numbers are growing, older prisoners form a minority of prisoners, and older women form a minority within a minority, as around 95% of prisoners are male (Wahidin, 2011). Just as the number and proportion of older offenders is increasing, so is the published research, and there is a large and growing international literature which approaches issues related to older prisoners including perspectives from psychiatry, psychology, medicine, health and gerontology, sociology, social work, social and penal policy, criminology, corrections and prison management (Aday, 2003; Baidawi et al., 2011; Kim and Peterson, 2014; Fazel et al., 2001). This research literature has utilised a range of quantitative and qualitative methods to render older prison- ers and their experiences and needs much more visible in criminological and penological contexts. This chapter uses the work of Nancy Fraser as a tool to develop an understanding of ageing in prison as an issue not only of criminal but also social justice.