As Korea becomes aged society, elderly criminals also have been increased. The increase in the proportion of the elderly is having far-reaching effects on correctional system. Because aging is accompanied by increased disability, more chronic diseases, and the need for accommodation, the cost of prison incarcerating a elderly prisoner is relatively high. Moreover, since prison facilities and programs are designed for housing a healthy-adult male, there is little attention to the appropriate treatment or programs for the elderly.
The purpose of this research is 1) to describe tendency of elderly inmates in Japan, Germany, the U.S., and Korea, 2) report the present condition of the elderly treatment in prison, and 3) examine the alternative treatment policies for elderly criminals that are able to balance of conflicting requirements-correction and geriatric welfare- in correctional system.
The findings and recommendations in this report are based on the 1) interviews with 94 elderly inmates about difficulties in prison daily life, 2) survey about expert opinion of elderly inmates treatment improvement from 300 staffs in prison system, 3) visits of inspection on elderly prisons in Japan and Germany, and 4) literally reviews.

The summaries of major findings on this research are as follow;

Characteristics of Korean elderly inmates and treatment conditions

- 51.1% of the respondents were 'older first inmates', 46.8% respondents were 'older prison recidivist, and 2.1% were 'aging inmates'.
- In general, elderly inmates were segregated by age or health condition.
Most of the respondents(71.3%) were incarcerated in geriatric cell and prefered housing segregation(78.7%). However those geriatric cells were only for segregation the elderly from the younger and lacked special services or programs for the older. Moreover in geriatric cell, the average number of person per cell was higher than the others because of lack of geriatric cells. There was no special geriatric unit in correction system.
- Most of the respondents(65%) wanted job assignment but a few elderly inmates participated work activities. Basically elderly inmates had been excluded from the work activities.
- A large numbers of respondents felt that their health condition got worse than before the incarceration. Most of elderly inmates were taking a medicine more than one and 50% were in polypharmacy. 30% of the respondents had given up medical treatment in prison because of high cost, insufficient medical treatment, delay or reject outside medical care application and half-hearted manners of medical team. Because prison medical care depended on doses for oral administration, diseases required surgical care-dental disease, arthritis and spinal diseases-were the most serious incurableness in prison.
- The average age of the respondents at release due time was 73. Just 29.8% of the respondents had a family support whereas a large numbers of respondents(46%) didn't have specific plans for job and living after release.

Prison staff's opinions about elderly inmates treatment plans

- A half of the respondents(53.3%) think that age criterion for elderly inmates should be advanced from 65 to 70.
- It is criminal records(first timer or recidivist) that the respondents think most important standard for classify elderly inmates for appropriate treatment.
- Most respondents are in favor of housing segregation. 57.9% of the respondents think that setting up special prisons for geriatrics is recommended because special medical treatment for geriatric diseases can be designed from the beginning.
- Respondents have difficulties in dealing with elderly inmates because of strain on inmates's health care, inmate's disobeying directions and inordinate demands for medical care.
- Respondents recommended that 1) improvement in accommodations for geriatric, 2) development of work activities that meets needs of elderly inmates, 3) psychological therapy.
- Respondents agree that inmate self-pay proportions of medical care should be increased for cost saving.
- Most of the respondents believe that elderly inmates have risk of recidivism and prefer to diversion than parole.

recommendations

- Improvement in accommodations and set up the housing plans for aging inmates
- Figure out typology of Korean older inmates
- Design work assignment for the elderly and other indoor activities
- Utilize medical/compassionate parole
- Expand the half-way house and diversion
- Establish multi-party collaborations between criminal justice, social welfare agencies and community