Aging prisoners

The ACLU has just released a compelling report, At America's Expense: The Mass Incarceration of the Elderly.  Some of the facts:

• In the U.S., 246,600 prisoners are 50 or older;
• The annual cost of incarcerating someone 50 or older is $68,270 a year - twice as much as an average prisoner;
• Even if released elderly prisoners rely on the government for healthcare and other aid, states will still save at least $28,362 a year for each prisoner; and
• Risk of recidivism is minimal as evidenced by a study of N.Y. prisoners which found that the 3-year recidivism rate for those released at ages 50-64 was 7%, and only 4% for those 65 and older.