Mobilizing cross-sector community partnerships to address the needs of criminal justice-involved older adults: a framework for action

• Date: 11 September 2017
• Published date: 11 September 2017
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-05-2017-0024
• Pages: 173-184
• Author: Lia Metzger,Cyrus Ahalt,Margot Kushel,Alissa Riker,Brie Williams
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Prisoner health,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice

Mobilizing cross-sector community

partnerships to address the needs of

criminal justice-involved older adults:

a framework for action

Lia Metzger, Cyrus Ahalt, Margot Kushel, Alissa Riker and Brie Williams

Abstract

Purpose –The rapidly increasing number of older adults cycling through local criminal justice systems

( jails, probation, and parole) suggests a need for greater collaboration among a diverse group of

local stakeholders including professionals from healthcare delivery, public health, and criminal justice and

directly affected individuals, their families, and advocates. The purpose of this paper is to develop a

framework that local communities can use to understand and begin to address the needs of criminal

justice-involved older adults.

Design/methodology/approach –The framework included solicit input from community stakeholders to

identify pressing challenges facing criminal justice-involved older adults, conduct needs assessments of

criminal justice-involved older adults and professionals working with them; implement quick-response

interventions based on needs assessments; share findings with community stakeholders and generate public

feedback; engage interdisciplinary group to develop an action plan to optimize services.

Findings –A five-step framework for creating an interdisciplinary community response is an effective

approach to action planning and broad stakeholder engagement on behalf of older adults cycling through the

criminal justice system.

Originality/value –This study proposes the Criminal Justice Involved Older Adults in Need of Treatment

Initiative Framework for establishing an interdisciplinary community response to the growing population of

medically and socially vulnerable criminal justice-involved older adults.

Keywords Criminal justice, Healthcare, Framework, Community, Older adults,

Cross-sector community partnerships

Paper type Research paper

Background

The number of criminal justice-involved older adults (awaiting trial, on community-based

probation or parole, or serving prison sentences) is growing rapidly in many nations (Fazel and

Baillargeon, 2011; Williams, Ahalt and Greifinger, 2014; Maschi et al., 2013). Accordingly, the

number of criminal justice-involved older adults in need of health and social services –both in

correctional facilities and in the community –is also on the rise (Aday, 2003; Williams, Goodwin,

Baillargeon, Ahalt and Walter, 2012). Criminal justice-involved individuals are typically considered

“older adults”in their 50s due to a disproportionate burden of chronic illness, disability, and

geriatric conditions at early ages (Williams, Stern, Mellow, Safer and Greifinger, 2012, Ahalt et al.,

2013). In the USA this population is growing rapidly. Over 500,000 American older adults are

arrested annually, including more than one percent of all US adults aged 55-64 (Snyder, 2012).

With over 150,000 sentenced prisoners age 55 or older –and an additional 450,000 middle-

aged prisoners (ages 40-55) –the prison aging trend is expected to continue. Because the vast

majority of incarcerated individuals in the USA are eventually released (Freeman, 2003),

Received 25 May 2017

Revised 12 July 2017

Accepted 12 July 2017

All authors listed here meet the

criteria of authorship for this

manuscript and no others

contributed to this manuscript

sufficiently to warrant inclusion as

an author. This paper is not under

review or published in any

publication. Dr Williams received

funding from the Department of

Medicine at University of California,

San Francisco, the Jacob & Valeria

Langeloth Foundation, a Pilot

Grant from the National Palliative

Care Research Center, and

Tideswell at UCSF to collaborate

with healthcare and criminal justice

professionals and community

members on this project. The

views expressed herein do not

necessarily reflect the official

policies of the City and County of

San Francisco or of the

Department of Medicine at UCSF;

nor does mention of any agency

listed in this paper imply its

endorsement. The authors also

thank Hank J. Steadman and the

Policy Research Associates for

their help in developing the

Sequential Intercept Map and

facilitating the meeting.

The authors affiliations can be

found at the end of this article.

DOI 10.1108/IJPH-05-2017-0024 VOL. 13 NO. 3/4 2017, pp. 173-184, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1744-9200

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