Rise in old jailbirds turns Japan prisons into ‘retirement villages’

All time high: Crime statistics found that Japan’s number of geriatric jailbirds has hit a new high. — Reuters

IN March last year, Sato Kamiyama, 83, was nabbed – for the 28th time – for pickpocketing.

The serial criminal, now serving a jail term of 2 years, had reportedly told the judge – “It’s a bad thing to do to the victim. (But) I give up, it’s hopeless.”