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).

If you would like to sponsor the  Weight Loss Quest - donations to a very worthy cause can be made to Wintringham - see www.wintringham.org.au/Donations.aspx  

All donations are tax deductable. 

Please contact Wintringham Head Office on 03 9376 1122 or admin@wintringham.org.au.