The mental health of older prisoners

Background: Older prisoners are a minority within the prison population but their numbers are increasing at a greater rate than any other age group. The mental health of younger prisoners has been well researched but this is not the case for older inmates. The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the existing literature on the mental health of older prisoners. Methods: Relevant papers were identified through database searches and an examination of cited references in the selected papers. The literature was divided into different sections in order to examine the contributing factors and rates of mental illness in older prisoners. Results: The first section looks at demographic factors relevant to older prisoners. Subsequent sections examine psychosocial factors, environmental factors and physical health factors that may have a detrimental effect on mental health. The final sections look at the prevalence of mental illness in older offenders before and after sentencing. Conclusions: Mental illness in older prisoners is a result of complex interactions between numerous individual and environmental factors. It currently remains poorly researched and service provision for older prisoners with mental illness is poorly developed. Further research is needed, with a particular focus on the different groups of older prisoners and the most beneficial service models, because the number of older prisoners, including those with mental illness, is likely to increase in the future.