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On an average day under Trump, ICE has 25 children aged 3 or younger in custody.
In total, at least 500 babies and toddlers have been detained. That number is 10 times higher than it was in the previous 12 months under former President Joe Biden.
Similar can be said for men over 50 who were formerly incarcerated: The prevalence rates of cancer, depression, chronic lung disease, and “heavy” alcohol use were significantly higher.
🚨NEW: Incarceration is shaving years off people's lives.
Research shows that older adults who have ever been behind bars have alarming health issues and are expected to live nearly 6 fewer years.
The effects of incarceration follow people long after their sentences end. 🧵
Thousands of people detained by ICE are actually held in local, publicly operated jails.
These facilities–run by elected sheriffs–are making money off of the federal government's deportation agenda.
And it doesn't stop at health. Gutierrez's recent work highlights socioeconomic and racial disparities:
👉 Compared to older adults with no prior incarceration, formerly incarcerated older adults were more likely to be Black and experience poverty, disability, and unemployment.
It's long been known that incarceration accelerates aging and shortens life expectancy, but little was known about how it impacts mortality risk in later adulthood, until now.
As millions of formerly incarcerated people age into older adulthood, approximately 1 in 15 adults aged 50+ now has a history of incarceration, facing an elevated risk of death and serious medical conditions.
It's clear that mass incarceration has created a public health crisis.
This new research by Professor Carmen Gutierrez paints an alarming picture:
👉 Formerly incarcerated men and women die at significantly younger average ages (74.8 and 68 years) than those without incarceration histories (82.3 years and 82.9 years).
Alarming, but perhaps not surprising, as incarceration comes with a slew of health consequences:
👉 Past research shows that among women over 50, those who were formerly incarcerated faced higher rates of cancer, heart disease, and stroke, to name a few.
