Georgia’s prisons are becoming warehouses for the dying. Inmates aged 55+ cost $68,000 annually—twice the cost of younger prisoners—while the state provides little medical care for their chronic illnesses. Nationally, elderly inmates have increased 280% since 1999. In Georgia, 20% of the prison population is aging, driving $270 million in annual healthcare costs. These inmates have a 4% recidivism rate—ten times lower than average—yet Georgia keeps them locked up. 1
The Cost of Aging Behind Bars
Elderly inmates drain resources Georgia refuses to allocate:
- $68,000 per year per elderly inmate vs. $34,000 for younger inmates
- Healthcare costs 5x higher than younger prisoners
- 25% have diabetes — vs. 10% in general population
- 40-50% have hypertension requiring constant monitoring
Georgia spends the money warehousing them but won’t fund the early release programs that would cost less and pose no public safety risk.
Facilities Built for Young Bodies
Georgia’s 1970s-era prisons weren’t designed for wheelchairs:
- Only 12% of state prisons meet ADA standards
- 38% of elderly inmates report fall-related injuries
- 68% rely on staff for basic mobility assistance
- Average walk to medical unit: 0.5 miles — impossible for many elderly
Upper bunks, multi-level facilities without elevators, no handrails. The infrastructure creates daily injury risks for aging inmates.
Healthcare Failures
Chronic conditions go untreated:
- Complex medication regimens without proper monitoring
- Specialist visits delayed or denied entirely
- Temperature regulation failures — dangerous for elderly inmates
- Dementia rates 53% higher than general population
The DOJ found Georgia fails to provide adequate healthcare. Elderly inmates with chronic illness suffer most. 2
The Case for Release
Elderly inmates pose minimal risk:
- 4% recidivism rate for inmates released at 65+ vs. 43% overall
- 7% recidivism for those released at 50+
- $40 million annual savings from transferring 10% to community care
- New York’s Elder Parole Program — saved $240,000 per individual annually
Georgia knows elderly inmates don’t reoffend. It keeps them locked up anyway.
Life After Release
The few elderly inmates who get out face impossible barriers:
- 29% homelessness rate among elderly releasees
- Only 22% find jobs within the first year
- 18% need nursing home care — 63% are denied placement
- Criminal records block access to assisted living facilities
Georgia incarcerates people until they’re too old to survive, then releases them with nothing.
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding geriatric release programs. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Elder parole programs for low-risk elderly inmates
- Adequate healthcare for aging prisoners
- ADA-compliant facilities
- Reentry support for elderly releases
Further Reading
- Death by Neglect: How Georgia Prisons Fail to Provide Medical Care
- $700 Million More—And Nothing to Show for It
- GPS Informational Resources
- Pathways to Success
About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS)
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative newsroom built in partnership with incarcerated reporters, families, advocates, and data analysts. Operating independently from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GPS documents the truth the state refuses to acknowledge: extreme violence, fatal medical neglect, gang-controlled dorms, collapsed staffing, fraudulent reporting practices, and unconstitutional conditions across Georgia’s prisons.
Through confidential reporting channels, secure communication, evidence verification, public-records requests, legislative research, and professional investigative standards, GPS provides the transparency the system lacks. Our mission is to expose abuses, protect incarcerated people, support families, and push Georgia toward meaningful reform based on human rights, evidence, and public accountability.
Every article is part of a larger fight — to end the silence, reveal the truth, and demand justice.
