Discuss 2 factors that will affect your decision-making based on the scenario given.
I chose to look at the Case of the Elderly White Collar Criminal. In this particular instance we are looking at a now 60 year old male, Richard, 5 years into his sentence for white collar crime. When looking at the given information I feel that the 2 factors that would affect my decision-making would be the cost of housing an elderly, ill patient with potential mental health issues and inmate physical, mental and emotional safety.
Richard is currently suffering from several physical ailments including, high blood pressure, insomnia and ulcers. While these are not what one might consider major chronic illnesses they do require medical treatment while incarcerated. Our textbook states that it costs roughly $70,000/year to house an elderly inmate compared to $23,000 for a non-elderly inmate, a difference of roughly $47,000 (citation). Richard committed a non-violent white
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Richard is currently 60 years of age. At this reading I am unable to say what his current sentence length is, nor am I able to attest to his past criminal history. He could petition for compassionate release/reduction of sentence based on exigent circumstances. The exigent circumstances being his chronic health conditions, coupled with the fear of abuse and abuse he has suffered and will suffer, the lack of a proper placement for him in an elder care facility, his decreasing mental health, and the potential for further mental harm caused by placement in solitary confinement segregation. This is only a potential option due to the fact that Richard is 1) not 65 years of age for medical compassionate release and I am not sure he meets the 50% sentence completion, 2) terminally ill, or 3) 65 years of age and have served 10 years of his sentence. The deciding factor would rest on the interpretation of the exigent