Well ... it's only three more sleeps before I head off on my prison study tour.
There are few other places in the world as instructional on key
issues affecting older prisoners as the USA; In 1981, there were 8,853 state
and federal prisoners age 55 and older. Today, that number stands at 124,900,
and experts project that by 2030 this number will be over 400,000, amounting to
over one-third of prisoners in the United States. In other words, the elderly
prison population is expected to increase by 4,400% over this fifty-year time span.
(AT AMERICA’S EXPENSE: The Mass Incarceration of the Elderly June 2012)
In Australia, older prisoners have increased by 84 percent
across all prisons over the past decade (ABS 2010b, 2000). The rising number and proportion of older
prisoners has implications for planning, policy and service delivery across
correctional systems. The most immediate and apparent issues facing older
prisoners are those related to ageing and associated declines in mental and
physical health.
The key aim of this fellowship is to define a
low cost, humane model of care that considers the health, risk and justice
imperatives of the older prisoner.
Wintringham’s specialist aged care focus leads it to be
naturally involved with clients that have had some relationship with
correctional services. Given this
reality, Wintringham have commenced a more formal relationship with Corrections
Victoria. Through this more formalised relationship Wintringham’s knowledge of
the issues surrounding housing, care and support of older prisoners has further
developed; as Corrections knowledge of aged care issues has developed - the relationship is very instructional for both parties.
In attempt to provide world’s best practice and support Wintringham’s desire to extend it service formally
into the “Justice Space” – The overall
aim of this project is to visit identified best practice exemplars to identify
learning’s that are transferable to the Victorian system.
A review of literature provided the following Prisons are of
interest for this study:
- Fishkill Correctional Facility - New York – Visit Date: October 2nd 2012
- Deerfield Prison – Capron,
Virginia - Visit Date:4th & 5th October 2012
- Laurel Highlands Prison - Somerset Pennsylvania - Visit Date: October 9th 2012
- Jefferson City Correctional Centre, Jefferson City,
Missouri - Visit Date: 11th October 2012
- Joseph Harp Correctional Centre- Lexington, OK - Visit Date: 16th October 2012
- Estelle Unit Huntsville- Visit Date: Texas; 18th October
- Central Mississippi Correctional Facility- Mississippi -
Visit Date: 24th October (to be confirmed)
- California Men's Colony -
San Luis Obispo, California -- Visit Date: - 25th & 26th October
2012
- 14th Annual International Corrections and Prison
Association Conference in Mexico – 28th October 2012 and
- on the return route to Australia – Rimutaka prison (New Zealand) Wellington
I will be providing
regular updates on my study tour through this blog.
On a lighter note.... My home scales tell me I am 90.5kg; my
work scales tell me I am 97kg; (I do like my home scales) - Wintringham have a biggest loser activity occurring and I do want to lose some weight... So,
I aim to return to
the land of Oz lighter than I left! ("Impossible!????")
I will also be providing regular updates on
what I could have eaten (and what I did eat).
All donations are tax deductable.
