Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that New York's prison population got considerably smaller and older, according to a report released Jan. 13 by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The number of older people incarcerated increased slightly from 7,511 people to 7,586 people in New York between 2008 and 2021, the time frame of the study. Since the overall population in prison fell, the percentage of the state's prison population over 50 doubled during that time from 12 percent to 24.3 percent. “Since our initial 2017 report detailing the rise in the number of aging incarcerated individuals, we found that despite reductions in the overall size of the population, the share of older prisoners is increasing. In the months ahead, policymakers should examine opportunities to reduce the population of incarcerated individuals 50 and over where public safety would not be compromised," DiNapoli said in a statement announcing the report. Overall, New York's prison population is at its lowest since the mid-1980s, with four prisons scheduled to close in March. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.