Re-examining carceral ageing through meaning: What penology can learn from gerontology

Abstract

As a result of worldwide prison populations greying at an unprecedented rate, the penological community has become increasingly aware of the moral and economic implications of carceral ageing. However, research in this emerging field has been largely focussing on the extrinsic aspects of the incarceration experience, with a particular interest in the challenges that such environments pose for older individuals. In contrast, intrinsic processes, such as the drive for a meaningful existence in later life that is central to much gerontological research on (successful) ageing, have garnered limited scrutiny within contemporary prison studies and penological scholarship. Inspired by our own ethnographic research in prisons, our article will propose an integrated conceptual model to foster a more holistic understanding of carceral ageing and guide future research. This model, rooted in both penological and gerontological knowledge, navigates the complex terrain of experiencing a meaningful life amidst the realities of carceral ageing. By injecting gerontological perspectives into the traditional penological discourse, it also balances some of the adverse dimensions and opportunities attached to carceral ageing. By doing so, this article aims to reconceptualise our current understanding of carceral ageing and strives to stimulate a cross-disciplinary approach to the scientific study and management of ageing in carcerality.