California’s Prison Costs Rise as Inmates Grow Older, Have Mental Health Issues

California’s Prison Costs Rise as Inmates Grow Older, Have Mental Health Issues
An armed California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officer escorts a condemned inmate at San Quentin State Prison's death row in San Quentin, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2016. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Graying inmates, aging prison infrastructure, and the increased need for mental health care in prisons have strained California’s budget in recent years, according to experts who advise the state government.

Scott Graves, director of research at the California Budget & Policy Center, is one of those experts. At a Feb. 20 senate budget hearing, he said the number of inmates who have mental health issues is on the rise.

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