cost of elderly prisoners
Elderly more expensive. A 2012 ACLU study estimated that it costs nearly $70,000 a year to house a prisoner over 50, compared with an average of $34,135 for a younger inmate. The increase is primarily driven by much higher health care costs for the older population.ealth care costs for older inmates skyrocket. The growing number of older prisoners represents a potential fiscal time bomb. Elderly prisoners cost more because almost all expenses related to their health care must be borne by state tax dollars.