Interdisciplinary Preparation and Service Equities as Alternative Strategies for Older Adults in General and Correctional Populations: Should We Care?

The older adult population in the U.S. will increase dramatically over the next several decades, especially within the criminal justice system. This demographic requires a new and different public discourse regarding government policy and services addressing the needs and desires of both the general population and the correction-based population, particularly following the 2011 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Plata (563 U.S. 493). Capable workforces trained with geriatric-centered knowledge and skill sets are required to meet needs with justice-involved aging populations. While faculty of schools of social work are preparing gerontological social workers, faculty of departments of criminal justice are also beginning to address this shift in the correctional population demographics in their courses, although findings show this may be to a lesser extent. To meet these growing needs and demands, social work and criminal justice faculty can collaborate on building this workforce as both professionally and ethically responsible. Based on an exploratory, qualitative study, this article presents the perceived skills and training needed to serve this target population. Perceptions of criminal justice faculty pertaining to the changing views toward aging and geriatrics in the criminal justice field were explored. Themes emerged implying that interprofessional, geriatric education is necessary for interdisciplinary practice, research, and educational collaboration. Implications for public policy discussions and changes concerning institutional-based and community-based services, and compassionate care were addressed.