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Anyone been watching the second season of Orange is the New Black? If you have, you know that the focus is on the practically inhumane treatment of the inmates (especially elderly inmates). For those of you who aren't familiar with the show here's a little glimpse into the second season. An elderly patient named Rosa with terminal cancer is denied funding for a life saving surgery. This sentences her to a slow and painful death. In another episode, the elderly patient...

Learning that you have been sentenced to serve a prison term is never easy, regardless of age, gender, or race. However, as an elderly criminal sentenced to a term in jail or prison, you will face unique obstacles. Transitioning into prison life can be especially difficult for older inmates. They face both mental and physical obstacles while trying to adjust to an entirely new way of life. Furthermore, most prisons accommodate younger and healthier inmates, leading to even more challenges for elderly...

In the United States, there has been considerable debate over the treatment of inmates. Also, there is debate over how much medical care they deserve. It has been decided that all prisons should offer at least basic medical services to inmates. They should not get punished for developing mental or physical disorders. Especially in the case of older inmates, physical ailments and mental problems are inevitable. Because these people are in the care of the state, the state must provide medical...

Increasingly, elderly citizens have been charged with and convicted of larceny. Larceny, also referred to as shoplifting, is commonly a crime committed by juveniles. However, as elderly people continue to live longer and struggle with finances, many resort to shoplifting. There is no excuse for committing a crime. But, some elderly people do defend themselves. They could claim that because they have no income from a job, they have a hard time making ends meet, and feel forced to shoplift...

As the American senior citizen population continues to increase, in part due to the Baby Boomer Generation, we face an interesting conundrum – should we let elderly criminals out of jail? According to a WSJ report, by 2030, a third of America’s prisoners will be age 50 or older. People feel passionately about both sides of the argument. On the one hand, it seems cruel to keep people in their 80s and 90s locked up, especially at the cost of the...

Establishing a consistent way to deal with elderly offenders is not easy. Factors such as age, health, crimes committed, and character of the defendant affect the situation. Certainly, every case is different. Also, the court determines how to proceed given the individual circumstances of each case. However, when senior citizens get involved in crime, issuing prison sentences and other punishments can become difficult. The fact that judges, lawyers, and jury members bring their own biases and opinions to each case only adds...

Facing a court hearing when you are on trial for a criminal offense can be difficult. However, if you are an elderly offender, the experience can be especially trying. In order to prepare yourself for the court hearing, you need to know what the process will be like. In addition, you should understand the special accommodations that can happen for you. These accommodations happen given your age and any disabilities or impairments that you have. Appearing in Court If charged with...

When senior citizens commit crimes, they go through a similar legal process as younger adults. The first person involved with a crime is a police officer. Police officers try to use discretion when dealing with potential crimes and criminals, especially when they are elderly citizens. However, in some cases, police officers make decisions concerning an offense based on their personal biases. This can be the case with elderly criminals. Understanding how a police officer responds to the scene of a...

A 63-year-old-man gets charged with assault and possession of a dangerous weapon when breaking into a New Britain Dunkin’ Donuts. A 71-year-old-woman gets arrested for prostitution in Glastonbury, Connecticut. A 114-year-old man is found in possession of over seven tons of marijuana. No, these aren’t scenes out of Breaking Bad, they are real crimes committed by the elderly. While these crimes were not committed by Walter White, Jesse Pinkman’s words to him ring true – “Some straight like you, age – what,...