Should Senior Citizens Serving Life Sentences in Prison Have Their Own Gen Pop?

[JaneyVee]

I love sociology and I'm asking this before even making up my own mind on this issue. Just your thoughts? For example, anyone 65+ serving life in prison with no chance of parole.

Example on both sides:

1-Yes, They will most likely live out the rest of their days in prison where they will eventually die. Shouldn't they be free from the worry of altercations, jumpings, stabbings, etc. by groups of people much younger & agile. Instead, just let them live out their days in a sort of solitary confined old age home within the prison with medical attention that addresses the needs of aging Seniors.

2-No, Why should they as convicted criminals get any sort of special treatment? That would be a sort of reverse ageism discrimination against the rest of the gen pop. Younger inmates may look to them as sort of father figures/mother figures that can help them through dark days with advice & inspiration to change their ways in order to not end up like them.

[Honeycombe8]

1. What do older prisoners want? Are you assuming they want to be separated?

Maybe they do. Maybe they don't.

Some older people like being around younger people. It makes them feel younger and stay younger. It can get depressing being around just older people all the time, I would think.

Also, don't forget that older people sometimes (often?) don't feel the age they are. I'm in my 50's, and I forget that sometimes. When I'm talking to a 30-something, I feel approximately her age (until something happens to remind me!).

Prisoners get as good medical care, or better, than they'd get out in the free world. Most prisoners were not big wage earners, didn't have insurance or steady jobs, etc.

[JaneyVee]

2. I would think it would be a sort of change in mindset at 65,

that they may no longer want to be around the young guys/girls that have a hair-trigger towards prison violence. I read that it is projected that by 2030 one third of the U.S. prison population will be Seniors.