Dignity Denied: the Price of Imprisoning Older Women
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The PriceofImprisoningOlderWomeninCalifornia [ Dignity Denied ] fundamental improvements inthehealthstatusofallCalifornians. health careforunderserved individualsandcommunities,topromote The CaliforniaEndowment's missionistoexpandaccessaffordable,quality and theEqualAccessFundofCaliforniaStateBar. This reportwasmadepossiblebygenerousgrantsfrom TheCaliforniaEndowment Photos courtesyofRonLevine,www.prisonersofage.com Printing: ChallengeGraphics Layout andDesign:MaríaJoséBaños Statistical Support:KarlaLindquist,M.S. Geriatric MedicalConsultants:LouiseC.Walter,MD Text byHeidiStruppandDonnaWillmott,M.P.H www.prisonerswithchildren.org (p) 415-255-7036(f)415-552-3150 San Francisco,CA94102 1540 MarketStreet,Suite490 Produced andDistributedbyLegalServicesforPrisonerswithChildren Brie A.Williams,MD 1 Legal Services for Prisoners with Children [ 2 Legal Services for Prisoners with Children Acknowledgments ] Cover PhotoCourtesyof Debbie Zuver Wecker, AraWard,Dr.CoreyWeinstein,JuanitaWhitler, ZoeWillmottand Leslie VanHouten,SashaVodnik,DarleneWalker,Loleta Washington,Nancy Beatrice Smith-Dyer,AudraSpeights,SharonStevens, Nancy Stoller,JoeyUpland, Roth, MontanaSeal,PennySchoner,CassandraShaylor, KarenShain,MaryShields, Cassie Pierson,MaishaQuint,SamsonReiny,JessReed, EllenRichardson,Rachel Meyers, AndreaMims,LeylaMujkic,DorseyNunn,Sara Olson,MartaPatterson, Molly Kovel,RonLevine,NonaLewis,MarilynMacias, JackieMcQuarrie,Bonnie Jimmy Huynh,CaitlinJennings,MaryVirginiaJones,Cindy H.Kang,GloriaKillian, Moira Fitch,DeeGarcia,GeriGreen,MyrtleBeverlyHenry,VanessaHo, Alice DoValle,BeatriceSmith-Dyer,CharlesDyer,BarbaraErdman,Boband Ethel Dedmon,RuthDelph,GloriaDoheny,BrittanyDonaldson,JaneDorotik, Marcia Bunney,BrendaClubine,VickiCormack,NormaCumpian,AmandaDavis, Contributors: deeply thankfulfortheircourageandperseverance. input shapedourunderstandingsofwhatit’sliketogrowoldinprison.Weare its publication.Wearegratefultoher,andalloftheincarceratedwomenwhose California Women’sFacility,whocontributedtothisreportbutdidnotlivesee This reportisdedicatedtothememoryofImogeneJones,incarceratedatCentral information gatheringprocessandhelpedusanalyzeinterpretthedata. including thosewhofilledoutoursurvey,grantedusinterviews,facilitatedthe This reportcouldnothavebeenwrittenwithouttheinvolvementofmanypeople, old agenear$2.5 million. twice attaxpayer’scostof$32,000 bringingtothetotalcostoftreatmentrelated years inprisonandreports that betweenJanuaryandJuly2005shewashospitalized Veronica Allen,JudithBarnett,DaisyBenson,BettyBroderick, Myrtle Green - Ms.Greenhasservedmore than16 [ Contents ] Appendix Endnotes Chapter 4:Recommendations Chapter 3:GeriatricPrisons:Nota Solution Chapter 2:RespondingtotheCrisis Chapter 1:Findings Introduction Executive Summary Growing OldBehindBars Support, SurvivingandThriving Abuse Health Care Work andProgramming Housing Activities ofDailyLife and SummaryofStatisicalData General DemographicsofSurvey Respondents 75 67 59 55 49 46 39 36 29 26 21 16 15 11 5 3 Legal Services for Prisoners with Children Executive Summary 5 Pictures courtesy of Ron Levine, www.prisonersofage.com [ 6 Executive Legal Services for Prisoners with Children Summary ] 2022, morethan30,000older personswillbeincarceratedinCalifornia. incarcerates approximately 7, 550personsovertheageof55.Itisestimatedthatby More Californiansaregrowing olderinprisonthaneverbefore:Thestatenow Scope oftheproblem lives indignity,andareultimatelyinterestofbuilding asaferCalifornia. accordance withasocialcommitmenttoensuringthat society’seldersliveouttheir create community-basedalternativestotheirincarceration. Suchmeasuresarein crisis bytakingmeasurestoensuretherightsanddignity ofolderprisonersand California policymakershaveanopportunitytocreate meaningful solutionstothis public safetybutthelargestcosttoincarcerate–embodies failedpublicpolicy. The continuedincarcerationoffrailelders–whorepresent thesmallestthreatto the issues. and makerecommendationsforwaysCaliforniapolicymakersmightaddress population, explorethequestionssurrounding efforts nationallytorespondthecrisisgeneratedbygrayingofprison and socialsupportforolderprisoners.Thelastthreechaptersexaminecurrent address activitiesofdailylife,housing,workandprogramming,healthcare,abuse interviews witholderwomenprisoners,theirfamiliesandfriends.Thefindings 120 surveysofwomenprisonersaged55andolderaswellaseriessemi-structured to improvetheirhealthandwell-being.Thefindingsarebasedondataderived in California,documentstheirhealthandsafetyconcernsdiscussesstrategies This reportsexaminestheconditionsofconfinementforolderwomenimprisoned development ofgeriatricprisons, from Executive Summary system notdesignedtoaddresstheirspecificneeds. Older prisonersfaceauniquesetofhealthandsafetyconcernsastheygrowoldin population andhavethehighestratesofparolesuccess. Older prisonershavethelowestratesofrecidivismanysegmentprison prisoner, approximately$70,000ayear. The annualcostofincarceratinganolderprisonerisnearlydoublethatayounger of medicalservices.” receivership, citingtheCDCR’s“incompetenceandoutrightdepravityinrendering Federal JudgeTheltonHendersonplacedtheprisonhealthsystemunderfederal pable ofprovidingthelevelmedicalcaretoprisonersrequiredbylaw.InJune2005, The CaliforniaDepartmentofCorrectionsandRehabilitation(CDCR)hasbeeninca- the importance of overcrowding,noise,lack ofprivacyandintergenerationaltensions,theyalsoreaffirm health status or physical limitations. While manyolderwomenarticulatethefrustrations are housedeighttoacellwithonlyminimalconsideration foranindividual’sage, Current CDCRhousingissuesputolderanddisabledprisoners atrisk.Mostprisoners out offiverespondentsreportbeinginjuredwhileperforming adailyprisonroutine. More thanhalfofrespondentsreportthattheyfellatleast onceinthelastyear;two distance walkstothedininghall)contributesmaking lifedifficultforolderpeople. (for example,thelimitednumberofbottombunks,cells withouthandrailsandlong- climb ontotopbunksandundressforstripsearches.Additionally, thebuiltenvironment must contendwithprisonrulesthatrequirethemto drop tothegroundforalarms, Prisons arenotgearedtotheneedsandvulnerabilitiesofolder Findings of maintainingsocialrelationships withyoungerprisoners.Atleastone people. Olderprisoners 7 Legal Services for Prisoners with Children Executive Summary 8 Legal Services for Prisoners with Children greatest sourceofemotionalsupportduringtheirincarceration. depression. Themajorityidentifiedoutsidesupportof family andfriendsastheir Nearly halfofolderwomenresponded“yes”toquestions thatareindicatorsof needs asagingprisoners. vast majorityofrespondentsfeelthatprisonmedicalstaff arenotsensitivetotheir staff; oneoutofthreereportedexperiencingphysicalabusebyanotherprisoner.The Two outofthreerespondentsreportedpersonallyexperiencingverbalabuseby Older womenreportedapervasivefearofabuse,frombothfellowprisonersandstaff. health services. timely manner,lackofpreventativecare,inadequatenutritionandmental $5 co-pay,longdelaysinreceivingtreatment,difficultiesobtainingmedicationa in thesurveys.Respondentscitedseveralissues:barriertocareimposedby The CDCR’ssystemicfailuretoprovidehumanemedicalcarewasaprominenttheme ing jobassignmentsroutinelyputsolderprisonersatriskforinjury. consider anindividual’sage,abilities,healthstatusandphysicallimitationswhenissu- required toworkorparticipateinaprisonprogram.Failurebystaff adequately There isnoretirementageintheCDCR;allbutmostillanddisabledprisonersare reported difficultyingettinghelpanemergency. out offourwomenreportedfeelingunsafeintheircells;anotherone most vulnerableprisoners. Highlighted recommendationsfollow. because confinement facedbyolder prisoners. Geriatricprisonsarenotarecommendedsolution of conditions of olderprisonersandshort-term recommendationstoamelioratethe This reportofferstwocategoriesofrecommendations: measures toreducethenumber Recommendations of CDCR’stroubledhistory ofprovidingspecificandspecializedcaretoits Executive Summary prisoner population. Repeal California’s“ThreeStrikesLaw”tocurbtheexponentialincreaseofelderly minate sentences. Reform currentparolepoliciestoensurereleaseforeligibleprisonersservingindeter- their sentencesinhomeconfinement. Establish ahome-monitoringprogramforolderprisonerstoservetheremainderof Expand theCompassionateReleaselawtoincludeolderanddisabledprisoners. 55 onparole. more than$9milliondollarsinasingleyearbyreleasingallnonviolentprisonersover Implement theLegislativeAnalyst’sOffice(LAO)recommendationtosavestate Reducing thenumbersofolderprisoners: “over 55”cells. Designate acertainnumber ofcellswithinthegeneralpopulationhousingunitsas assistance regardinghousing, programmingandactivitiesofdailylife. Establish an“over55”status affordingolderprisonersage-specificconsideration and Establish ayearlycomprehensivegeriatricassessmentfor prisonersover55. older prisoners. progress inenforcingnewpoliciesaimedatmeetingthe specificneedsof Appoint anombudspersonwhoreportsdirectlytothe legislatureaboutCDCR’s Establish trainingforcorrectionalstaffonworkingwith olderprisoners. Improving thelivesofolderprisoners: 9 Legal Services for Prisoners with Children Executive Summary 10 Legal Services for Prisoners with Children designed toaddressthespecificconcernsofelderlyparolees. Establish casemanagerstocoordinatepre-releaseplanningandpost-releaseservices Eliminate the$5co-payprisonersarerequiredtopayformedicalvisits. about theuniquehealthandpsychosocialissuesfacedbyolderpeople. Conduct healtheducationclassesavailabletoprisonersonagingthatincludeinformation and activitiesspeciallygearedtoseniors. withcommunityvolunteersandorganizationstoestablishage-appropriateprograms