MORE PRISONERS ARE BABY BOOMERS

Shift Means Aging Inmates Will Require More Medical Care

Rockwell City, Ia. -- The baby boomer generation is making its mark
again, this time inside Iowa's prison system.

The number of Iowa convicts age 51 and older has increased more than
sixfold over the past 20 years and will undoubtedly continue to grow
in the coming decades, a researcher told the Iowa Board of
Corrections on Friday.

Iowa had 686 inmates ages 51-plus last year, representing 8 percent
of the state's overall prison population of 8,578 offenders. That
compares with 105 convicts, or 4 percent, in the same age category in 1985.

The state had a much smaller prison system two decades ago, totaling
2,635 inmates.

"Just as the baby boomers are aging within our larger society, we
have the same trend within the Iowa prison system," said Lettie
Prell, research director for the Iowa Department of Corrections.

In addition, the trend reflects an increasing number of people being
sent to prison for drug crimes, Prell said. "Drug offenders tend to
be older offenders than the typical offender of 20 years ago."

The most obvious implication of the demographic shift will be an
increase in spending for prison medical costs for older inmates, said
Iowa Corrections Director Gary Maynard.

"They go to sick call more than anyone else" and require more health
care services than any other group of prisoners, he said.

A study of health care in Iowa's prison system by Des Moines
University showed that while inmates age 55 and older make up 4.8
percent of the prison population, they are responsible for 10.2
percent of prescriptions and 10.3 percent of physician visits.

The demographic shift is also seen in other inmate age groups.

The number of Iowa prisoners between the ages of 31 and 50 last year
totaled 4,203 convicts, or 49 percent of the overall prison
population. In comparison, there were 817 inmates in the same 31-50
age group in 1985 when they were 31 percent of the inmate population.

The state's total prison population is forecast to increase to 10,329
by 2015, which would be up about 20 percent over a decade, although
state officials haven't estimated yet how many will be in the older age groups.

The issue of graying inmates was discussed as the Iowa Board of
Corrections met at the North Central Correctional Facility in Rockwell City.

The board continued a review of trends within Iowa's prisons and
community corrections programs. Some of the other challenges include
a growing number of mentally ill offenders, an increasing number of
women being sent to prison, more people being convicted of drug
crimes, and more sex offenders and violent offenders who are facing
tougher punishments and longer prison stays.

Chairwoman Robyn Mills of Johnston said the board will continue to
review these and other issues over the next few months as it prepares
budget recommendations for the 2007 session of the Iowa Legislature.

[Sidebar]

The Impact

A study of Iowa prisoners by Des Moines University found that while
inmates age 55 and older make up about 4.8 percent of the prison
population, they are responsible for:

10.2 percent of prescriptions
11.6 percent of medical conditions
13 percent of assistive devices
13.8 percent of nurses' visits
10.3 percent of physician visits