Prisons are no different to other ‘markets’

The number of pensioners in UK prisons has increased by a third in just three years. The number of male prisoners 60+ jumped by 34% between June 2004 and August last year.

Numbers of older women prisoners are growing even faster – over-50s up by 40% during the same period. England and Wales can now boast the oldest male and female prisoner as 92 and 78 respectively.

As in most things the UK appears to be following the same trend as in the US.

So what? I guess this provides yet another factlet demonstrating that no nook or cranny of UK society is immune to the impact of the ageing population. Dick Stroud