Singapore prisons adapt as inmate population ages, 1 in 6 aged 60 or older
In 2025, about one in six inmates in Singapore was aged 60 or older, compared with about one in 10 in 2019, according to the Singapore Prison Service.
“Desmond” has been incarcerated 14 times after struggling with heroin addiction for about 50 years.
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SINGAPORE: Seventy-one-year-old inmate Desmond (not his real name) remembers a time when he was released from prison about 20 years ago.
He boarded a bus and could not figure out how to pay his fare – the payment system had changed during his time behind bars.
“They used to have that kind of card that you slot in and you press the amount, then they changed to the tapping system. I didn’t know what to do,” he recounted.
“The guy behind me had to come and help me out, that was a very big embarrassment for me, as though I came from space.”
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Desmond has been incarcerated 14 times after struggling with heroin addiction for about 50 years.
He hopes that his current prison term will be his last, but worries about finding employment, housing and staying drug-free after his release.
“Due to ageing, I have lost my sense of worth already,” he said. “I sometimes think to myself, it doesn’t make any difference whether I’m outside or inside.”
Desmond is among a growing number of older inmates in Singapore.
In 2025, about one in six inmates in the nation was aged 60 or older, compared with about one in 10 in 2019, according to the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).
The proportion of inmates aged 65 and above more than doubled over the same period, from 3.7 per cent to 8.7 per cent.
SPS said the trend mirrors Singapore’s ageing population and has prompted the agency to adapt the way it manages and supports older inmates.
PRISONS ADAPTING TO OLDER INMATES
More senior inmates are living with chronic illnesses, mobility issues and other age-related conditions, according to SPS officers CNA spoke with.
“They do have a lot of medical conditions. Some of them might start to also show early signs of dementia,” said Assistant Superintendent Jolene Ngo, a staff officer with SPS’ Rehabilitation Planning and Development branch.
Prison officers need to be equipped with the necessary skills and patience to manage such inmates, she added.
Elderly inmates who require age-related care serve their sentences at the Assisted Living Correctional Unit (ALCU), where the average inmate is about 60 years old.
Younger inmates with caregiving experience and who are deemed suitable are paired with those who have mobility difficulties.
The younger inmates, also known as attendants, receive financial incentives and privileges such as snacks, coffee and bread in return.
ALCU cells have features including metal commodes for inmates who have difficulty squatting, handrails to support movement, and shower facilities that can be used while sitting down.
As the prison population ages, more cells can be converted to assisted-living units when required.
FACING CHALLENGES AFTER RELEASE
But adapting prison facilities addresses only part of the problem.
For many older inmates, finding somewhere to live after their release is among the obstacles to rebuilding their lives.
The SPS’s Throughcare Management Services for Elderly Offenders (TMSEO) programme supports the rehabilitation and reintegration of senior offenders and ex-offenders with mobility issues.
Run by the Care Community Services Society (CCSS), the programme has received more than 150 referrals over the past two-and-a-half years.
About 35 per cent of those referred faced housing-related challenges.
“If they’re out on their own, staying alone without any form of family or next-of-kin support, then there’s also a concern for their reintegration and the ability to stay out (of prison),” said Mr Chan Soon Onn, head of CCSS’ Care Family.
For such individuals, the organisation applies for places in sheltered homes or transitional shelters during the aftercare period.
LIFE OUTSIDE CAN BE HARDER
Beyond housing, ex-offenders also have to rebuild social ties and adjust to life outside prison after years of incarceration.
About one in five inmates released from prison reoffend within two years, according to the latest figures released by SPS.
The overall two-year recidivism rate for the 2023 release cohort was 21.9 per cent, compared to 21.3 per cent the year before.
“The world inside prisons is easier than outside,” said Cornerstone Community Services executive director Lew Mi Yih, who spent years working in prisons before moving into social service work.
Beyond the challenges of reintegrating into society at an older age, former inmates also have to contend with the stigma of having been in prison.
Older ex-offenders also face declining health and reduced independence.
To help Cornerstone Community Services volunteers better understand these challenges, they undergo simulations that mimic declining vision, hearing loss, reduced dexterity and even medication sorting.
Ms Lew said the aim is to understand each person’s circumstances rather than assume what help they require.
“Every elderly wants to (have) their dignity. Dignity is still important to them,” she said.
Former pastor and prison volunteer Linda Ng said many elderly ex-offenders return to communities where they have few people to rely on.
“Social isolation is so common,” she said.
“They’re like forgotten people, and it’s sad. I really think that we have a role to play.”
SPS’ ASP Ngo hopes that society can treat elderly inmates with more understanding.
She said: “There’s still a bit of stigma, or there’s a bit of fear when you realise that, oh, this person might have abused drugs before, or at first glance, he has a lot of tattoos on his body.”
SECOND CHANCES
For some former offenders, finding a sense of purpose can help them stay away from crime.
Mr Upu Badarudin, 59, spent 10 years in prison for drug offences before his release in 2020.
He now owns a barbershop, where he mentors former offenders and employs ex-inmates who have difficulty finding work.
“Having my own place, my own shop, I have this commitment and discipline. This keeps me away from bad influences and all the vices,” he said.
For Mr Upu, support from others matters, but he believes lasting change must also come from the individual.
“Everyone does not want to be labelled a bad person, and we are not born as a bad person,” he said.
“Realise your mistake and repent. Then you can do something good (for) other people.”
Source: CNA/oc(dn)
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