Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #12 - Innovation in Correctional Healthcare (ACJ12-A010)
Abstract
This article explores the pathways of the social determinants of health and justice disparities that have contributed to the rapid growth of the aging, sick, and dying in global prisons. Correctional systems have been ill-prepared to adequately address older incarcerated adults’ specialized care needs and their risks of institutional injustices, abuse, and neglect. Drawing from data from the authors’ mixed methods research studies, this article explores the life course lived experiences of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated regarding care and justice before, during, and after prison. One-on-one interview data (N= 100) among incarcerated and formerly incarcerated older adults revealed that they shared post-traumatic and stressful experiences and copious experiences of personal and collective resilience. Such experiences were described as unconditional love and acceptance of self and others, service to others (‘doing good’), and positive thinking and emotional states. The paper also advances a caring justice (care and justice) perspective to shift a collective mindset from a problemfocused to a compassionate solution-focused societal framework. We argue there is need to visualize and actualize a kinder, balanced, and safer society made up of caring justice communities and service systems. The article concludes with select practices offered to aging people in prison with ‘caring justice’ principles (e.g., compassionate care, equality, peace, prosperity), such as in Nordic Countries and other select geographic locations and programs.
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