Opening Statements
Behind Bars: Elderly Prison Population Expected to Triple by 2030
In 1981, there were 8,853 state and federal prisoners age 55 or older.
Today that number stands at 124,900.
By 2030, experts predict the number of prisoners age 55 or older will be more than 400,000, which will be more than one-third of the prison population in the U.S. The elderly prison population is expected to increase by 4,400% over this 49-year time span.
Source: At America’s Expense: The Mass Incarceration of the Elderly. ACLU, June 2012.
