Trauma and Stress Among Older Adults in the Criminal Justice System: A Review of the Literature with Implications for Social Work

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to review the empirical literature that investigated trauma and stress among older adults in the criminal justice system. Nineteen journal articles published between 1988 and 2010 were identified and extracted via research databases and included mixed age samples of adjudicated older and younger adults (n = 11) or older adult only samples (n = 8). Findings revealed past and current trauma and stress, consequences and/or correlates, and internal and external coping resources among aging offenders. The implications and future directions for gerontological social work, research, and policy with older adults in the criminal justice system are advanced.

Keywords:

• trauma
• victimization
• older adults
• elderly
• prisoners
• older adult prisoners
• criminal justice
• social work
• inmates
• human rights
• literature review

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Laura Anderson, Jennifer Anderson, Sandra Turner, PhD, and Angela Belsole for their assistance and helpful comments.