Changes in North Carolina’s Medical Release for Prisoners: Concerns and Challenges
In a bid to allow more seriously ill inmates to spend their final days at home, North Carolina’s lawmakers adjusted the rules for prison medical release in 2023. However, recent data highlights that the number of people actually released under these new criteria remains disappointingly low.
Previously, the medical release system had strict conditions. Inmates needed to be very ill—likely to die within six months—or at least 65 years old with a crippling health condition. Even then, they had to be considered safe to release.
The 2023 reforms lowered the age for “geriatric” release to 55, extended the terminal illness timeframe to nine months, and eased the safety concerns needed for release. Advocates believed these changes would help more inmates reunite with their families in their last moments and reduce medical expenses for the state.
Despite these hopes, the actual number of approvals has been minimal. In 2024, only four out of nearly 32,000 prisoners were granted medical release, and only five have been released this year so far.
Many advocates find these figures troubling. They argue that older individuals pose less of a risk to society and releasing them could help manage North Carolina’s rising prison healthcare costs. “Sick inmates represent a low risk but high financial burden,” stated Molly Crane from FAMM, an organization working towards a fairer justice system.
The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction insists that they are using medical releases to the best of their ability. Arthur Campbell, a top official in charge of health services, believes that the 2023 changes don’t make a significant difference since the medical conditions for release remain largely unchanged.
Medical release requests can come from inmates themselves, their families, or even prison staff. Yet, about 40% of referrals have been rejected, largely due to convictions for serious crimes that disqualify them from consideration.
Crane noted that other states have clearer definitions for what constitutes “incapacitation,” making it easier to judge eligibility. North Carolina, however, lacks such clear guidelines, creating confusion about the criteria.
There are additional hurdles, such as finding suitable care plans for those who qualify for release. This issue has led to some unable to leave due to a lack of community support post-release.
Advocates are pushing for reforms, arguing that more flexible criteria could help sick and aging inmates who often face severe medical issues. In fact, around 26% of North Carolina’s prison population consists of individuals aged 50 and older.
The cost of healthcare for prisoners has seen a significant rise, hitting $429.1 million last year—a quarter of the Department’s overall budget. This increase reflects a growing necessity to care for a population that is aging rapidly due to the stresses of incarceration.
Despite the limited use of medical release, advocates and organizations are actively trying to change this. For instance, recent projects aim to link inmates with lawyers and healthcare professionals to aid their release applications and aftercare plans.
The pressing need to address the health conditions of aging inmates continues to grow, especially as many remain behind bars while needing extensive care. Advocates remain hopeful that reforms will soon expand access to medical releases in North Carolina, allowing more inmates to spend their final days where they belong: with their families.
