Photo of prison hallway with cells

Ageing behind bars: the unseen crisis of dementia in prison

It’s increasingly hard to ignore a trend happening the world over: both in Australia and overseas there are more older people in prisons.

Published: 22 April 2024
  • national
  • 22 April 2024
  • ABC News

This doesn’t mean there are suddenly hundreds of 80-somethings being incarcerated.

The reasons for an ageing prisoner population are multi-faceted and complex, but what we do know is that an ageing prisoner population brings challenges in managing aged-related illnesses in correctional settings.

It also raises some serious questions about how we treat those who are incarcerated.