SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2027 budget summary has drawn criticism from advocates who argue it fails to adequately address the high costs and human consequences of incarcerating a growing elderly prison population, according to reporting by the Sacramento Press.
The budget summary disregards the rising cost of incarcerating older adults, even as the state prison system increasingly functions as a de facto nursing home. Dax Proctor, statewide coordinator for Californians United for a Responsible Budget, said, “Abysmally low elder parole grant rates and extreme sentencing have turned prisons into expensive nursing homes.”
The American Civil Liberties Union has emphasized that prisons were not designed to house elderly people. The organization states that brutalist architecture, combined with frequent medical emergencies, places older incarcerated individuals at increased risk of injury or illness that can result in death. Health care providers within the prison system are not equipped with sufficient staffing to address the growing and complex needs of elderly incarcerated individuals.
According to Amber-Rose Howard, executive director of Californians United for a Responsible Budget, Newsom rejected legislation that would have eliminated excess prison beds and prioritized prison closures, measures that would have reduced the operating costs of expensive facilities. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation states, “Prison closures are projected to save about $594 million annually by 2027–28.”
The Sacramento Press reported that people age 55 and older make up more than 19,000 incarcerated individuals in California, and that this population presents a low risk of harm to society.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income is less than $100,000. In contrast, it costs between $200,000 and $300,000 to incarcerate one person in prison each year, according to the Sacramento Press.
Newsom stated in the introduction of the budget document, “We have cut drug costs, expanded tax credits for businesses and families, and put unprecedented efforts into tackling the mental health and housing crises that have gripped this country for too long,” indicating that savings from prison closures and other cuts have benefited the public.
However, elderly incarcerated individuals continue to face serious health risks, according to the Sacramento Press, which quoted an advocate as saying, “That’s an inhumane, fiscally reckless policy choice. It doesn’t improve public safety. There is no public safety justification for keeping people living with dementia and terminal illness behind bars.”
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation states that out of a $14.2 billion budget, $4.1 billion from the general fund is allocated to health care programs. The Sacramento Press reported that with age comes additional hardships that cannot be adequately supported within the prison system, and argued that the needs of elderly incarcerated individuals could be more effectively met upon their release.
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