Essay Example on Older Prisoners: Inadequate Care & Structural Challenges

There are increasing figures of disabled, ill, fragile and old individuals in prison systems poorly equipped to accommodate their requirements. The structural and inadequacy constraints of prison buildings are devised for able and young men posing a challenge to the older. Older prisoners present a high level of need, and the prison systems experience unevenness in healthcare provisions and reduced number of officers to provide them with the necessary care.

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The classification process determines how with whom and what an individual will utilize his sentence while detained. Classification designation impacts virtually all capacities of life in prisons such as the housing location or style, nature of prisoner’s routine, ability to move about the prison premises, program eligibility, and necessary treatments. Classification of special populations enables a firm barrier between older people and potential predators in all person fields. The house units are monitored in a usual manner to determine emergent predators and unquestionably remove predatory inmates the moment they are identified. The durability of staffing is also mainstreamed, thereby allowing staff to identify the individuals in their jurisdiction as human beings and not merely stereotypes (Ollove, 2016). Policies are also rigorously enforced to protect elderly inmates from duties and other hard works. Besides, leadership is fostered as an official culture of respect towards the unique population of inmates.

The particular needs of some older prisoners are being recognized increasingly as a challenge for prison management and healthcare and also a public health issue. Due to overall fragility and multiple complex morbidities that depend upon various medications, older prisoners are at a higher risk of intimidation and violence. The often social care needs and complex health represent a significant challenge for more former prisoners. Vulnerability is also a challenge faced by older prisoners since they are not aware of how life would turn up upon release. Besides, the noise levels in prisons are unsettling and intimidating to a majority of older prisoners. Providing sensitive and thoughtful housing alternatives of more former and transgender inmates is significant in ensuring the security and safety needs of the population (Ollove, 2016). Administrative segregation has also been efficient in separating inmates to prevent their association with other inmates, especially for suicidal, self-injurious and mentally ill offenders. Administrative segregation efficiently and quickly eliminates threat or danger towards prisoners and serves the interests of prisons in administrative ease since it is the least and simplest time-consuming solution for prison officials. In place of hormone replacement therapy, transgender inmates are offered routine counselling. The old, mentally ill and transgender inmates experience discrimination and stigmatization, thereby increasing the depression and suicide rates.

Conclusion

The services of correctional systems largely depend on neutral language among all inmates and staff and better documentation of protocols for special group’s prisoners. Besides, more critical information is provided to inmates and staff on how to support the special population inmates with awareness and sensitivity. Transgender inmates are housed at facilities of their biology compared to their gender identity, which is derived from both actual and perceived safety concerns. The prison hierarchy subjugates the weak and equates feminity with weakness; thus, transgender inmates are at risk of death, rape, sexual battery, sexual harassment and physical injury. Sexuality is a crucial focus through which subordination and domination are built-in prisons; weak men are raped and dominated (Dolovich, 2018). Improved communication with the unique population is vital for positive interventions, especially when other inmates or staff can explicitly and implicitly be intolerant towards them.

References

Dolovich, S. (2018). Prison conditions.

Ollove, M. (2016). Elderly inmates burden state prisons. Washington, DC: Pew Charitable Trust.