Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Acknowledged
It can be very difficult to accommodate some older individuals on the prison estate.
Recommendation
It can be very difficult to accommodate some older individuals on the prison estate. Steps taken by some prisons to develop specific wings or units for older prisoners are welcome, though the variability of individual needs should be considered. Good practice around the accommodation of older prisoners should be shared more widely. Ageing prison population 45 We recommend that all prisons housing a significant number of older prisoners designate appropriate accommodation for those with more complex health and care needs. We further recommend that the Ministry use the expansion of the prison estate to develop additional accommodation that is specifically adapted for older prisoners. The viability and cost of developing bespoke forms of custody for those with disabilities or nearing the end of their lives should also be explored. (Paragraph 45) Regimes and activity for older prisoners
Government response summary AI-generated
The government references existing guides on best practice for older prisoners and states it is exploring how to embed this practice across the estate as part of the older offenders strategy. However, it does not explicitly commit to designating specific accommodation, developing new adapted accommodation during prison expansion, or exploring bespoke forms of custody.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
• We are considering models for accommodating older offenders as part of the older offenders strategy, and we will update further once this is published. Regimes and activity for older prisoners
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