Kriminalvårdares föreställningar om äldre interner och deras omsorgsbehov - en kvalitativ studie
According to the statistics, the number of older inmates in prison is increasing, and the care needs for this group are relatively unexplored. The purpose was to study prison officer?s perceptions of older inmates and their care needs. The study was based on a qualitative approach in which prison officers at one prison were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed based on earlier research and from a social constructionist perspective. The study highlighted the problems that might arise for frail older inmates when the prison is not suited for their specific needs. The result indicated that elderly with specific care needs were moved to prisons that were more adapted and there prison officers had the proper competence. The study also showed that frailty among inmates of all ages were common and not only among older inmates. Another result of the study reveals a lack of knowledge about the elderly and their care needs in the education of prison officers. The study also showed differences in the mental health of the inmates which depended on their social status and also were related to what kind of crime they had committed.