The ageing of the prison population is now affecting prisons that house people who have committed crimes. Instead of simply disciplining prisoners, they are being educated and trained according to their characteristics. We interviewed the changes taking place behind bars as they move towards “social reintegration.”
Fukui Prison houses 292 first-time male inmates aged 26 or older. Ten percent of these are elderly inmates aged 65 or older. The proportion is increasing every year, with the oldest inmate now 90 years old.
This is Factory 7, which has the largest number of elderly inmates. The factory where prison work is done and the rooms are on the same floor so that there are no stairs between them.
■ Prison Officer
“Get some food!”
The daily meals, which consist of barley rice and three side dishes, are chopped up in a blender to prevent choking. There are also young inmates in their 30s and 40s who act as caregivers and help with things like clearing away the dishes.
■ Man serving prison sentence for attempted fraud etc.
“The opportunity to provide care is a rare one. I believe it will be an experience that will definitely not be wasted.”
During the afternoon prison work, some of the elderly inmates were gathered in a separate room.
■ Prison Officer
“Today is the once a month event. I want to do some shopping practice.”
The training involves using food panels with prices written on them as if they were products, and going shopping to think about how to spend money. The participants have 3,000 yen in their pockets. The rule is that pensions will be paid in two days, so the ideal thing is to keep food expenses to half that, 1,500 yen, but…
■ Prisoners
“Is this night?”
“There’s a special bento for dinner right?”
Some inmates buy whatever they want to eat right away and end up spending all their money quickly.
The training is carried out by qualified welfare specialists, who check for declines in the inmates’ cognitive functions by observing how they go shopping.
Fukui Prison Welfare Officer Isao Okada
“Many people have no money and end up stealing things. I want to help these people learn how to manage money better, so that when they return to their communities, they can connect with them.”
On the other hand, a major issue for inmates is whether they will have relatives when they are released. One man serving time in prison for theft and other offences is due to be released in November next year and plans to rely on his sister’s family, but…
Man serving time in prison for theft
“I haven’t been in contact with them. I wonder if their phone number has changed or something. I don’t know. I’m worried about whether I’ll be able to get along with the people around me.”
We also work with private welfare services, with an eye toward the post-release of prisoners who are at risk of being isolated from their families and communities.
Fukui Prison Welfare Officer Isao Okada
“It is important to build a relationship between the supporter and the person receiving support while they are still in prison.”
By the way, with the revision of the Criminal Code, a new “confined imprisonment” will be introduced from June next year, integrating prison sentences and incarceration. Unlike the current prison sentence, which requires prisoners to perform prison work such as woodworking or dressmaking, the aim of this new imprisonment is to provide work and training that suits the characteristics of the inmates.
■ Fukui Prison Warden Hisahiro Morikawa
“By providing intensive correctional treatment to people with specific needs, we hope to be able to improve the effectiveness of guidance for rehabilitation and correctional treatment. Although it is a punishment, we decide the content of the punishment. Our mission is to lead people to rehabilitation while receiving the punishment.”
The problem of an aging population is growing behind bars. With amendments to the law that place emphasis on rehabilitation rather than on punishing those who have committed crimes, efforts are continuing to explore ways to help elderly prisoners return to society and prevent them from reoffending.
