Social and custodial needs of older adults in prison

Background: older prisoners are a fast-growing group but there is limited evidence for how well their needs are being met. Objectives: to quantify the social and custodial needs of older prisoners and suggest improvements for service provision. Design: cross-sectional study. Setting: twelve prisons holding adult males in North West England. Subjects: two hundred and sixty-two prisoners; 97 aged between 50 and 59, 165 aged 60 and over. Methods: interview and case-note review for issues of social and custodial need and quality of life in prison, including Forensic Camberwell Assessment of Need and Lubben Scale for social networks. Results: many had problems mixing with younger prisoners, accommodation and activities, and limited contact with friends and family. A small group had personal care needs which were not well managed in prison. Conclusion: older prisoners have distinct social and custodial needs which need to be addressed by a national strategy for their care and management. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved.