SENIORS IN PRISON PROBLEMS RELATED TO DETENTION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN PRISONS IN THE UNITED STATES

Article is a review of US literature on convicted seniors. The general process of population ageing observed around the world is also being transferred to the penitentiary community. There is a growing number of senior citizens in prisons, and consequently more needs are being taken into account when organising their stay in penitentiary units (Wiliams i in. 2012). The introduction defines who the convicted seniors are and what are their specific characteristics. The typology of Ronald Aday (2003), which distinguishes between convicts according to time and frequency of detention, is presented. In the following parts of the paper, the authors look at aspects of the detention of elderly people, such as: issues of local organization and related obstacles, complex issues of health care for the elderly, or specific problems related to diagnosis and psychological therapy. Some prisons in the United States segregate prisoners by age, others direct prisoners to special hospices. The authors present advantages and disadvantages of this solution. An alternative to this is early release from prison for health reasons. The authors present how this system works in America, opening a discussion on the proposed solutions.