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Some halfway houses should be converted to hospices and nursing homes to accommodate growing numbers of federal inmates developing dementia and dying in prison, says federal correctional investigator Ivan Zinger.
The Office of the Correctional Investigator, along with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, are jointly investigating what they say is “systemic discrimination” against aging, elderly offenders (50 and older).
“We are concerned older prisoners’ needs are not being met,” Zinger said in an interview.
After years of calling for a policy on older offenders, Zinger said the joint investigation was launched partly in response to the case of an inmate with dementia who, after being in a halfway house for nine years without incident, was sent back to prison, where he died. The inmate, whose dementia had worsened, took his uninsured car for a ride. Police found him not knowing where he was or who he was. His parole was suspended and he went back to prison, where he remained until his death. Officials said they were unable to find a place to look after him — the halfway house wasn’t equipped and local care homes refused to take him.
Zinger said older offenders who are dying or have serious, complex medical issues and no longer pose a threat should be placed in the community.
Zinger said the Correctional Service of Canada should convert beds it is funding in halfway houses to accommodate dying or ill older inmates.
“You can actually pay a halfway house to convert to a nursing home and provide 24/7 care. It makes no sense that they should die in prison.”
Providing palliative care in the community would be a lot cheaper than the $115,000 annual cost of maintaining a federal prisoner, he noted.
“You can create bed space by reallocating the money you are spending to do the right thing and allow the people to die in dignity for those that are at the end of life, who have a cognitive impairment, or are severely disabled.”
The corrections investigator’s office has been warning for decades of the coming “grey wave” in prisons and the need to prepare for it.
In 1999, when the trend was first identified, 15 per cent of federal prisoners were over the age of 50. Today one-quarter of prisoners are older than 50, a growth rate of 77 per cent in the past decade alone, according to Zinger. There are currently 3,500 federal prisoners over the age of 50, and 50 to 60 people die in prison every year, the majority of natural causes. And the population of aging prisoners continues to grow.
Aging offenders use a disproportionate share of prison health care services, are vulnerable to victimization and often live in prisons that are poorly equipped to manage their needs, he said.
Zinger said he doesn’t want to see special geriatric units built inside prisons. Dying and ill older prisoners need to be sent to the community to settings that are appropriate and offer them dignity, he said, in the least restrictive environment.
He noted that this issue has been around for decades. The investigation, he said, is about hearing from the inmates themselves.
“We have said that their needs are not being met, now it is a question of giving them a voice.”
The joint report on discrimination of elderly offenders is expected to be released in the fall.
Related
查看原文...
The Office of the Correctional Investigator, along with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, are jointly investigating what they say is “systemic discrimination” against aging, elderly offenders (50 and older).
“We are concerned older prisoners’ needs are not being met,” Zinger said in an interview.
After years of calling for a policy on older offenders, Zinger said the joint investigation was launched partly in response to the case of an inmate with dementia who, after being in a halfway house for nine years without incident, was sent back to prison, where he died. The inmate, whose dementia had worsened, took his uninsured car for a ride. Police found him not knowing where he was or who he was. His parole was suspended and he went back to prison, where he remained until his death. Officials said they were unable to find a place to look after him — the halfway house wasn’t equipped and local care homes refused to take him.
Zinger said older offenders who are dying or have serious, complex medical issues and no longer pose a threat should be placed in the community.
Zinger said the Correctional Service of Canada should convert beds it is funding in halfway houses to accommodate dying or ill older inmates.
“You can actually pay a halfway house to convert to a nursing home and provide 24/7 care. It makes no sense that they should die in prison.”
Providing palliative care in the community would be a lot cheaper than the $115,000 annual cost of maintaining a federal prisoner, he noted.
“You can create bed space by reallocating the money you are spending to do the right thing and allow the people to die in dignity for those that are at the end of life, who have a cognitive impairment, or are severely disabled.”
The corrections investigator’s office has been warning for decades of the coming “grey wave” in prisons and the need to prepare for it.
In 1999, when the trend was first identified, 15 per cent of federal prisoners were over the age of 50. Today one-quarter of prisoners are older than 50, a growth rate of 77 per cent in the past decade alone, according to Zinger. There are currently 3,500 federal prisoners over the age of 50, and 50 to 60 people die in prison every year, the majority of natural causes. And the population of aging prisoners continues to grow.
Aging offenders use a disproportionate share of prison health care services, are vulnerable to victimization and often live in prisons that are poorly equipped to manage their needs, he said.
Zinger said he doesn’t want to see special geriatric units built inside prisons. Dying and ill older prisoners need to be sent to the community to settings that are appropriate and offer them dignity, he said, in the least restrictive environment.
He noted that this issue has been around for decades. The investigation, he said, is about hearing from the inmates themselves.
“We have said that their needs are not being met, now it is a question of giving them a voice.”
The joint report on discrimination of elderly offenders is expected to be released in the fall.
Related
- When dementia patients commit crimes: Can Canada's justice system handle the 'grey wave'?
- 'I see it everywhere': Family member calls for better awareness of dementia behaviours
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