- To maintain a strong presence in prisons, working with the growing older population and supporting the stakeholders responsible for their management.
- To continue to develop and deliver services for older offenders including community accommodation support and training.
- To influence policies regarding older offenders including those of the Ministry of Justice (especially HMPPS), as well as those of other statutory and regulatory bodies.
- Develop a suite of commercial products increasing the range of income sources, to meet new emerging themes and agendas.
Since 2010, Recoop has been pioneering new and effective ways to support older prisoners (50+). We are gaining increasing national recognition for our work and have contributed to seminal policy documents, most recently the “Model for Operational Delivery: Older Prisoners.”
Older people in the Criminal Justice System are a hidden and little-recognised population, which few people would identify as the fastest growing section of the population involved in the UK’s criminal justice system.
An older offender is generally defined as someone involved in the criminal justice system who is aged 50+. Although many people aged 50 may not consider themselves ”older”, it is seen as an appropriate threshold amongst this group in recognition of the practical realities they face. There is substantial evidence to suggest that prisoners suffer greater health problems than the general population, with many of them having health characteristics typical of someone aged ten years older who is not in prison.
Older prisoners may have complex needs including sensory impairments, multiple healthcare needs, disabilities and poor mobility. They are more likely to be retired and need meaningful activity and social connections. In many cases, older prisoners, who may be serving life sentences, or those who are brought to justice later in life, face the stark reality of the probability of dying in prison.
The development of our services are influenced by our service-users and key stakeholders within the prison service. The over-arching aim of Recoop is to reduce re-offending through the provision of meaningful activity, resettlement services and by addressing the health and social care inequalities faced by this hard to reach and marginalised group.
Prisons have a duty of care to provide resettlement programmes for prisoners (HMPPS 2018), but although older prisoners make up 1 in 6 of the prison population, their needs are more likely to be overlooked.
The older prisoner population continues to rise, as do their increasing needs:
- Older prisoners currently make up 17% of the overall prison population; in 2011, they made up only 10%. (HMPPS April 2018)
- It is projected to grow by 10.6% by the end of June 2021, including a projected growth in the over 70s of 31.3%. (HMPPS April 2018)
- Up to 90% have at least one moderate or severe health condition, with more than 50% having three or more. (MOJ 2018-MOD)
- 189 older prisoners died in custody in 2016, 53% of the overall number. 87% of the older prisoners died of natural causes. (HMPPS April 2018)
- Loneliness is a contributing factor to poor health, increasing the risk of suffering from dementia, heart disease and depression. (Valtorta et al, 2016) (James et al, 2011) (Cacioppo et al, 2006)
A prison is a particularly difficult place in which to be old. The needs of older prisoners are often overlooked, as many pose no obvious behavioural problems for the prison authorities. Their physical frailty is a disadvantage when they are incarcerated alongside younger prisoners and bullying and victimisation can be a problem.
Release can also be a time of acute difficulty because older prisoners are often institutionalised and lack the skills for independent living. Their release may be subject to conditions that prevent them contacting their families, many don’t have any family at all and some will have lost all their possessions while in custody, making the prospect of release an anxious time.
Our Members’ section is aimed at helping professionals who work with, or are interested in working with, older offenders. You will be able to access our extensive range of specialist resources which include information, advice and guidance, training materials and session plans. To register click here.
To find out more about Recoop and how we help professionals working with older people with convictions, please contact us.
