The number of people over 60 years old in prison has grown. According to the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) as of September 30, 2025, of the 103,342 people detained in the country’s prisons, 7,065 They correspond to the older adult population, 60 years or older.
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The figure expresses the 6.83% of the total population deprived of liberty and is part of the report of the Penitentiary Statistical Information System (SIEP). Last year (from January to December) there were prisoners 6,583 people in this age group. That is, in the first nine months of eThis year (from January to September) 482 adults entered prisons older.
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The former Minister of the Interior and former president of INPE, Wilfredo Pedrazapoints out that the imprisonment of these people constitutes a particularly vulnerable population for which there are specific provisions to ensure your protection and the exercise of their rights, recognized both internationally and in local regulations.
The problem is expressed by region in the following figures: Lima is the one with the largest population this year with 2,032 people over 60 years of age deprived of their liberty. In 2024, there were 1,903 people in that age range imprisoned.
In 2025 there are 97 inmates interned in Amazonas, Ancash 316, Apurímac 100, Arequipa 236, Ayacucho 184, Cajamarca 228, Callao 207, Cusco 348, Huancavelica 44, Huánuco 318, Ica 425, Junin 363, Freedom 360, Lambayeque 268 and Loreto 165.
Likewise, Madre de Dios 86, Moquegua 39, Pasco 57, Piura 269, Puno 222, San Martín 325, Tacna 97, Tumbes 64 and Ucayali 215.
A WHOLE LIFE IN THE UNDERGROUND
one of them is Wilson Lorenzo Martínez Cumpaa 65-year-old seasoned criminal, captured on November 3 after the frustrated assault at the Caja Piura agency in Lambayeque.
‘Old Loco’ or ‘Larry’ as he is known revealed that he has 18 admissions to prisons from Cajamarca, Piedras Gordas, Chimbote, Trujillo, Pisci and Pucallpa. He was an expert in aggravated robbery, although he also dabbled in illicit drug trafficking. His first entry into prison was at the age of 18 and he received sentences of 10 and 12 years.
His last sentence was 10 years in prison. Precisely, 17 days before being arrested after trying to rob Caja Piura, he had been released from prison.
“I stole out of necessity,” he tries to justify. He says that He spent 47 years of his life in prison.
I was very rebellious, our parents separated, I took refuge in liquor and started stealing, I lived in a fantasy world, he highlights.
“I tell young people, look how I am, I go in, I go out, I fight, I assault, I meet friends just to drink. Now, where are my friends?” We make mistakes by drink, by women. I have gone to churches, to the procession of the Lord of Miracles, so that my children do not go out like this. Look how I am. Change guys, give it a better image To your family, to your mother who suffers and cries, take care of your brothers, your sisters, set a good example, look now I cry because my children are left helpless again. “Misio, I’m leaving in ‘cana’, why? Because of my bad head,” he reflects.
ACCOMPLICE COMMITS SUICIDE
Martínez Cumpa was captured flagrante delicto, while the assault was taking place; He struggled with the security guard to maintain control over him. In the middle of the intervention, a weapon fell to the ground.
Then, while the personal search was being carried out, it was discovered that he had a revolver with five cartridges that were compatible with a firearm that was reported stolen. Your accomplice Julio Antón Navarro, alias Barabas, ended up committing suicide to avoid being captured.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE CAUSES
Juan Carlos García Quinteroshead of the psychology area of the Miguel Castro Castro prison, says that the surprising thing is that almost the 70% of older people In prison they are primary criminals, that is, they had not committed crimes before the age of 60.
Experts such as a psychiatrist Carlos Bromley They point out that this phenomenon is due to multiple causes: Lack of economic resources and social isolation; neurological deterioration that affects the ability to control oneself, triggering impulsive behaviors; and some belong to the ‘heroin generation’, who began committing crimes in the 1980s and never left that lifestyle.
Currently the INPE has 242 psychologists. “Being a prison psychologist is more than a profession: it is an act of humanity in highly complex contexts. With empathy, firmness and commitmentwe face the challenges of working in penitentiary centers, guiding processes of change, emotional containment and resocialization,” says García Quinteros.
But,What types of crimes do older people commit?? The most common among older men are homicides, gender violence and drug trafficking. Crimes against public health and robberies predominate among women.
PRISONER AT 80 YEARS OLD
But there are also cases of innocent people who serve unjust prison terms. It is the case of Don Exequiel Yeipén, an 80-year-old person who worked for more than 30 years as a taxi driver at the Jorge Chávez airport.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being linked to the Tijuana Cartel. Unfortunately, he indicates that he was there at the wrong time and did not know who he was offering his transfer to.
It happened in 2002, when he provided a taxi service to the wives of two bosses of the Tijuana Cartel. He did not know who they were, finally an operation was carried out that year, more than 100 people were arrested, 54 were involved, among them Mr. Exequiel.
In the multiple audiences It was determined that he had no type of responsibility with this criminal organization and was released. Twenty years later the request was reactivated and his lawyer gave him bad advice, told him not to show up, not to sign. He ended up detained in the Lurigancho prison.
PRISON CONDITIONS
Young people between the ages of 18 and 29 represent the 25.0% of the prison population at the national level. In relation to the age groups between 30 and 59 years (68.3%), greater emphasis is placed on providing education for work.
As for older adults, national regulations recognize them with special protection from the State and access to decent prison conditions that guarantee respect for their human rights. This situation becomes more acute when they are deprived of their liberty, as they do not have specialized health care, treatment and control of physical and mental illnessestreatment programs with a differential approach.
DATA
Overpopulation. The difference between the shelter capacity in the 69 establishments and the intramural prison population is 60,120 people.
No quotas. This represents 144% of the shelter capacity, which in short means this number of inmates would not have room in the prisons.
Foreigners. 5% of the prison population is made up of foreign inmates.
