Developing evidence for a national strategy for older adults in the criminal justice system: overview of the nominal group approach for this series of brief reports.

The number of people aged 50 and over entering the criminal justice system (CJS) in England and Wales is growing. This raises questions as to the suitability of the CJS to equitably accommodate individuals with complex illness or impairment, who might experience difficulties in cognitive function, frailty, and/or impaired mobility. Findings from the government, the third sector, and academic literature have highlighted the difficulties experienced by older adults in the CJS and those tasked with supporting them.

Older women in the criminal justice system: a brief report from a nominal group.

There are increasing numbers of older women in prison in England and Wales. The needs of older women in prison have been under researched and are often unmet. This paper explores staff and expert perspectives on the needs of older women in prison through a nominal group attended by six participants, including a consultant at the UK Health Security Agency; a General Practitioner; a postgraduate student completing a project on older women in prison; an academic researcher with expertise on older women in prison; a National Women's Health, Social Care, and Environment Review Group lead; and a HMMPS Diversity and Inclusion Lead.

The mental health of older adults in the criminal justice system: a brief report from a nominal group.

The number of older people in prison is increasing, and this group has significant mental health needs. Despite this, little research has evaluated mental healthcare for older prisoners, and examples of best practice are unknown. This paper explored staff experiences of supporting the mental health needs of older prisoners to identify existing forms of care provision, challenges to implementation, and areas for improvement.

The COVID-19 pandemic and older adults in prison: a brief report from a nominal group.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns were raised regarding the vulnerability of prisoners to infection from the virus, leading to numerous changes to prison regimes and healthcare delivery. A nominal group was conducted exploring the experiences and views of prison staff involved in supporting older adult prisoners in England and Wales during times of COVID-19, including considering improvements in prison healthcare that can be applied beyond the pandemic. The group included seven participants with relevant knowledge and experience, comprising two consultants in public health, four heads of prison healthcare, and a prison governor.

Hominin presence in Eurasia by at least 1.95 million years ago.

The timing of the initial dispersal of hominins into Eurasia is unclear. Current evidence indicates hominins were present at Dmanisi, Georgia by 1.8 million years ago (Ma), but other ephemeral traces of hominins across Eurasia predate Dmanisi.