Guest editorial

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-06-2022-117
• Published date: 02 June 2022
• Date: 02 June 2022
• Pages: 117-123
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Prisoner health,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice
• Author: Nickolas Zaller,Lisa Barry,Jane Dorotik,Jennifer James,Andrea K. Knittel,Fernando Murillo,Stephanie Grace Prost,Brie Williams

Guest editorial

Nickolas Zaller, Lisa Barry, Jane Dorotik, Jennifer James, Andrea K. Knittel,

Fernando Murillo, Stephanie Grace Prost and Brie Williams

CommunityAcademic Partnerships: an Opportunity to Improve the Lives of

Incarcerated Older Adults

Introduction

Unprecedented growth in the number of older adults involved in the criminal legal system

(under arrest, in court, in prisonsor jails, on probation or parole) has occurred over the past

20 years (Williams et al., 2012a,2012b;Williams et al.,2021). Due to decades of draconian

and racially biased sentencing policies (e.g. “three strikes”) and overtly discriminatory drug

laws and policing practices(Rich et al.,2011), these older adults are disproportionately poor

and Black or Latino (Maschi and Aday,2014;Maschi et al.,2017). Approximately 1 in 4 Black

men and 1 in 6 Latino men carry a lifetime risk of incarceration (Bonczar, 2003). Many also

experience disparitiesin health, including high rates of early-onset disease anddisability and

behavioral or social risk factors (e.g. substance use disorders, mental health conditions,

trauma, homelessness) (Binswanger et al., 2009;Baillargeon et al.,2010;Williams et al.,

2010;Maschi et al.,2011;Barryet al., 2016). Yet, this population remains understudied(Ahalt

et al.,2012,2013,2015).

Research that contributes to ourunderstanding of the life course experiences of older adults

involved in the criminal legal system, and the drivers of later life health disparities in this

population, including criminal legal system involvement itself, is limited (Ahalt et al.,2012,

2015). Moreover, much of theresearch about this population has failed to study the geriatric

conditions (e.g. functional and cognitive impairment, falls, elder abuse and polypharmacy)

that are criticalto understanding the health and wellbeing of olderadults at each phase of the

criminal legal system involvement (from police arrest through community reintegration after

incarceration (Williams et al.,2006;Metzger et al.,2017;Ahalt et al., 2018;Barry, 2018;

Greene et al., 2018).

Addressing these knowledge gaps requires a nationwide research infrastructure because

the growing number of researcherswho study aging and criminal legal system involvement –

many of them early in their careers –represent a range of academic disciplines (e.g.

medicine, public health,nursing, social welfare, criminology, sociology, law, socialwork and

more) spread across diverse geographical settings with few centered at any one institution.

As a result, vital interdisciplinary research collaborations are limited, and junior researchers

often lack the mentorship and resources needed to pursue a successful research career in

this area.

In response, we developed The Aging Research in Criminal justice and Health (ARCH)

Network, funded by the National Instituteon Aging, to bring together researchers dedicated

to studying the life course experiences of older adults involved in the criminal legal system

and the drivers of later life health disparities in this population together in a community of

collaborationand support. We soon learned that the aging of the prison populationis a global

phenomenon, and members from xx nations beyond the US now belong to our consortium.

Our approach has beento facilitate conversation and collaborationacross a diverse range of

Nickolas Zaller is based at

University of Arkansas for

Medical Sciences, Little

Rock, Arkansas, USA.

Lisa Barry is based at

Psychiatry, UConn School

of Medicine, Farmington,

Connecticut, USA, and

UConn Center on Aging,

Storrs, Connecticut, USA.

Jane Dorotik is based at

California Coalition of

Women Prisoners, Valley

Center, California, USA.

Jennifer James is based at

Institute for Health and

Aging, University of

California San Francisco,

San Francisco, California,

USA. Andrea K. Knittel is

based at Department of

Obstetrics and

Gynecology, University of

North Carolina School of

Medicine, Chapel Hill,

North Carolina, USA.

Fernando Murillo is based

at University of California

San Francisco, San

Francisco, California, USA.

Stephanie Grace Prost is

based at Raymond A. Kent

School of Social Work,

University of Louisville,

Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Brie Williams is based at

UCSF Center for Vulnerable

Populations, University of

California San Francisco,

San Francisco, California,

USA.

National Institute of Health

R24AG065175.

DOI 10.1108/IJPH-06-2022-117 VOL. 18 NO. 2 2022, pp. 117-123, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1744-9200 jINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRISONER HEALTH jPAGE 117