No one likes growing old, while the idea of growing old in prison isn't one worth thinking about. Some people might deserve to spend the rest of their days behind bars, but what about those who are actively choosing to commit relatively minor crimes so they spend their twilight years locked up?
This is the plight of a growing trend in Japan where elderly women are reportedly committing crimes just so they can be sent to the slammer.
As reported by CNN, there's a growing pandemic of elderly Japanese women choosing a life in jail instead of what faces them on the outside.
Takayoshi Shiranaga is an officer at Tochigi Women’s Prison that's located north of Tokyo, telling CNN: "There are even people who say they will pay 20,000 or 30,000 yen ($130-190) a month (if they can) live here forever."
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But why is this aging population of Japanese women begging for some people's worst nightmare?
According to Shiranaga, it's the loneliness that is driving these women to look for an unconventional end to their years. Although they have to work in the prison’s factories, many are simply happy for the company. In return, they get free healthcare, eldercare, and regular meals, as well as a community of people to talk to.
One 81-year-old prisoner given the pseudonym of 'Akiyo' said: "There are very good people in this prison. Perhaps this life is the most stable for me."
She says this is her second stint in prison after she was jailed for stealing food in her '60s. Still, it's a life she's accustomed to: "If I had been financially stable and had a comfortable lifestyle, I definitely wouldn’t have done it."
Saying that she was living on a 'very small' pension, and with only $40 until her next payment in two weeks, she explained: "I made a poor decision and shoplifted, thinking it would be a minor issue." Due to her prior conviction, she was sent back to jail.
She heartbreakingly said: "I felt like I didn’t care what happened anymore. I thought, 'There’s no point in me living,' and 'I just want to die.'"
CNN notes that in 2022, more than 80% of elderly female inmates in Japan were jailed for stealing. However, with 20% of those over the age of 65 living in poverty, it's not a surprise to many.
Prison guard Shiranaga continued: "There are people who come here because it’s cold, or because they’re hungry."
Inmates who become ill "can get free medical treatment while they are in prison, but once they leave, they have to pay for it themselves, so some people want to stay here as long as possible."
With the number of elderly inmates nearly quadrupling between 2003 and 2022, Shiranaga concluded: "Now we have to change their diapers, help them bathe, eat. At this point, it feels more like a nursing home than a prison full of convicted criminals."
The Japanese welfare ministry acknowledges that elderly inmates who are given post-prison support are less likely to re-offend, while the Ministry of Justice has launched a program that hopes to give elderly female prisoners guidance on how to live independently. Inmates with nursing qualifications are also being asked to offer their services to elderly prisoners.
With Japan reportedly 'scrambling' to encourage people into the care industry, it's expected that the country will need 2.72 million care workers by 2040.
Sadly, with Japan having one of the lowest birthrates and longest lifespans, situations like Akiyo's are becoming more common.