Similar to the overall U.S. population (see The Silver Surge Challenge), the incarcerated population is aging. Today, roughly one in four people in U.S. prisons are age 50 or older, compared to just 16% a decade ago. While “old age” is typically defined as 65+ in the community, corrections systems often use 50+ as the benchmark due to the accelerated physiological aging observed among incarcerated individuals (see Linkages Between Incarceration And Health For Older Adults).

Also like the general population, incarceration costs are significantly higher for older adults compared to younger adults due to health conditions. Over 80% of 55 to 64 year olds incarcerated in state prisons and 75% of 55 to 64 year olds incarcerated in federal…