Utah's Aging Prison Population and Its Fiscal Impact
Author: Richard M. Garden, M.D..
Source: Volume 05, Number 06, September/October 2004 , pp.69-72(4)
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Abstract:
The Utah Department of Correction’s (UDC) inmate population is aging. In 1999 the percentage of total population over the age of 55 was 4.2% (218/5149). Today the percentage has increased to 5.6% (324/5772). This demographic change has far reaching implications into many correctional areas. One area is medical care. Medical care has been increasing at approximately 6% annually from 1999 until 2004. Keeping pace with increasing medical costs has become a gargantuan task that public agencies can little afford.Keywords: demographics, Age-Related Costs, Sick call, pharmaceuticals, laboratory
Affiliations:
1: Utah Department of Corrections.