The proportion of elderly inmates has been steadily increasing in recent years, raising concerns about their care and rehabilitation in prisons. This phenomenon has prompted public reflection on why crime and recidivism rates among the elderly are rising annually. Furthermore, how will our social structure and legal system address this impact?<\/p>\n
Are the elderly becoming worse, or are bad people getting older?<\/p>\n
Wang Po-chi, Associate Professor, the Department of Criminal Justice at Ming Chuan University: “Are the elderly becoming worse, or are bad people getting older?”<\/p>\n
According to data released by the Ministry of Justice’s Correctional Agency, the number of elderly inmates has been increasing year by year over the past decade. By the end of 2015, the number of elderly inmates exceeded 1,000, and by 2024, inmates aged 65 and above will account for approximately 5% of all inmates. This increase in the proportion of elderly inmates reflects the aging phenomenon in Taiwanese society.<\/p>\n
Chung Chih-hung, Deputy Warden of Chiayi Prison, Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice: “The first type is incarcerated from a young age until old age, with the longest-serving elderly inmate having been incarcerated for over thirty years. The second type is incarcerated in old age; they may have avoided criminal activity in their youth, but later incarcerated for unsafe driving, drunk driving, or other crimes. The third type is repeatedly incarcerated from a young age, perhaps not for serious crimes, resulting in a cycle of release and re-entry.”<\/p>\n
Tsai Yi-chia, Associate Research Fellow, Crime Prevention Research Center, Judicial Academy, Ministry of Justice: “We’ve found that elderly inmates…” While the data shows an increase, the proportion of elderly individuals is also rising. For example, is the number of crimes committed by the elderly suddenly increasing, or is it simply an increase due to population aging? Further observation is needed. However, at least in our case, we cannot yet conclude that there has been an increase in crime among the elderly in recent years.<\/p>\n
Economic and Interpersonal Factors: Increase in Elderly Incarceration<\/p>\n
Data from 2024 shows that the main crimes committed by the elderly incarcerated were public endangerment, theft, drug offenses, assault, and fraud. The motives for these crimes, besides involving the physical and economic conditions of the elderly, may also be related to interpersonal alienation.<\/p>\n
Wang Po\u2014Chi, Associate Professor, the Department of Criminal Justice at Ming Chuan University: “Our simplest classification is between economic and non-economic pressure. Economic pressure, of course, is self-explanatory; it’s about not having enough money or being unable to make a living, which might lead to theft. But what we’re more concerned about are the non-economic factors.”<\/p>\n
Pan Hong-hui, Assistant Professor, Department of Adult and Continuing Education, National Chung Cheng University: “Health is also a significant factor. For example, elderly people with severe loneliness are three to four times more likely to abuse alcohol than those without loneliness. They are also more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases and other physical problems, and may experience depression. With alcohol abuse, they are more likely to lose self-control and engage in illegal or criminal behavior.”<\/p>\n
Aging Inmate Population: Long-Term Care 3.0 Intervention<\/p>\n
To address the aging population in correctional institutions, the introduction of Long-Term Care 3.0 aims to improve the care for elderly inmates and ex-offenders through the long-term care system.<\/p>\n
Tsai Yi-chia, Associate Research Fellow, Crime Prevention Research Center, Judicial Officers College, Ministry of Justice: “Because prisons are closed and highly controlled environments, there might be some restrictions on entry for Long-Term Care 3.0. However, these restrictions shouldn’t affect the connection between the elderly and the mechanisms under the Long-Term Care 3.0 policy.”<\/p>\n
Chung Chih-hung, Deputy Warden, Chiayi Prison, Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice: “If there’s an opportunity to enter, adjustments can be made based on the environment of our correctional facility. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a community-based entry model. Some of our inmates are capable of caring for others, so could you come in to assist with training them, or show us how to access long-term care resources, especially assistive devices or supplies?”<\/p>\n
Lee Chao-hui, Director of the Yunlin Branch of the Rehabilitation Protection Foundation: “We are actually very optimistic about the long-term care policy, because our biggest fear is encountering cases where individuals haven’t yet met the long-term care criteria but have urgent needs for long-term resources. Therefore, if they are over 65, we can more easily entrust them to our long-term care system.”<\/p>\n
However, as the systems and resources within prisons become more comprehensive, it may exacerbate the development of prison-like personalities and create concerns about recidivism.<\/p>\n
Wang Po-Chi, Associate Professor, the Department of Criminal Justice at Ming Chuan University: “We’ve also seen practical situations, both in Taiwan and abroad, where elderly offenders, despite the desire to reintegrate into society, often have the opposite mindset. They might think, ‘I don’t want to be released at all.’ This is because they feel they haven’t become better after being released. While incarcerated, they might have been cared for by others, even classmates, providing mutual support. Outside, they might have nothing. Therefore, they don’t want to be released. This is what we call a ‘prisoned personality.’ Because of numerous in-and-out experiences in correctional facilities, they haven’t received support from their families. Without family support, they might seek support within correctional facilities. So, you’ll find that in some of these elderly offenders, we don’t see much of a rehabilitative function. In Taiwan, there’s a system in prisons…” A system called the Progressive Treatment Regulations for Penalties is divided into four levels: Level 3, Level 2, and Level 1. The difference between these levels is that the lower the number, the higher the level, and the more welfare benefits the inmate can receive. However, we’ve observed a very paradoxical phenomenon among these older inmates: those who reach Level 1 often have higher recidivism rates after release, according to follow-up studies. This is quite different from the educational and rehabilitative functions we’ve discussed in the past, particularly for younger inmates.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tsai Yi-chia, Associate Research Fellow at the Crime Prevention Research Center, Judicial Academy, Ministry of Justice: \u201cIt should be said that the prison environment, when linked to Long-Term Care 3.0, achieves a relatively low baseline. It aims to allow external social resources to intervene as much as possible within a closed environment, connecting the inmate’s life from the moment they enter prison with their life after release. This doesn’t mean the environment inside will improve; it simply means they receive more resources.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rehabilitation Goals for Elderly Inmates<\/p>\n
Elderly inmates may not be able to smoothly reintegrate into society after release like other ex-offenders. Therefore, rebuilding interpersonal relationships and cultivating technological skills are key areas that relevant units should focus on assisting elderly inmates after their reintegration into society.<\/p>\n
Tsai Yi-chia, Associate Research Fellow, Crime Prevention Research Center, Judicial Academy, Ministry of Justice: “A significant characteristic of the elderly is the difference in physiological phenomena. Compared to the general population, their physical condition needs more attention to ensure it doesn’t affect their future lives. The elderly may not have a strong need for work. They may have an existing environment, and they may not have much interest in prison tasks or job training. As for how to reintegrate them into society, it depends on the characteristics of this elderly group. We should try to connect them with community resources so they can find social support after their release.”<\/p>\n
Pan Hung-hui, Assistant Professor, Department of Adult and Continuing Education, National Chung Cheng University: “Family members…” “They’re no longer here. We should have some social safety net programs to provide assistance with life skills and digital skills. Often, with societal changes and technological advancements, ex-offenders may struggle to keep up. What we need is one-on-one counseling tailored to their unique circumstances.”<\/p>\n
Li Zhaohui, Director of the Yunlin Branch of the Rehabilitation Protection Foundation: “We hope that they (inmates) will be more willing to accept our assistance and can more quickly stabilize their lives in society. In addition to group outreach and individual counseling within prisons, the Rehabilitation Protection Foundation has also launched a series of family support and job placement promotion activities.”<\/p>\n
Prevention is better than cure: Start with social support<\/p>\n
Zhong Zhihong, Deputy Warden of Chiayi Prison, Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice: “I’m just emphasizing…” A high incarceration rate doesn’t necessarily guarantee good public order or social safety. It also doesn’t necessarily address deviant behavior or criminal acts. Sometimes I think we’re too rigid. If you’re bad, lock you up; if you have a problem, lock you up. Are there no other ways to deal with this besides locking people up? Through education, social welfare, or other assistance methods, is it possible to help them live better lives in society without such long sentences?<\/p>\n
Pan Hong-hui, Assistant Professor, Department of Adult and Continuing Education, National Chung Cheng University: “Our senior learning centers promote meaningful social activities. On another front, we’ve discovered some very low-cost intervention programs, such as regular visits and phone calls to detainees.” “The cost of rehabilitation is actually not high, but the effect is very significant. It makes the elderly feel respected and maintains their connection with society. Secondly, psychological counseling services need to be destigmatized. Many elderly people with depression may feel that going to a psychiatrist is a sign of illness and they don’t want to go. We can destigmatize this by offering courses like interpersonal relationship improvement programs, helping the elderly better interact with their children and across generations. This can help them and also prevent senior crime.”<\/p>\n
The aging of the inmate population not only reflects economic hardship and physical decline among the elderly, but also highlights the importance of social support. From strengthening community functions to improving correctional education, related supporting measures still need to be improved through joint efforts between the government and society.<\/p>\n