天堂，這個象征美好世界的詞匯，大部分人都不會把它與監獄相提并論。但是在日本，監獄卻成了老年女性的天堂。這究竟是什么原因呢？

Japan has the oldest population in the world, with at least 27 percent being over the age of 65. Yet the country is facing an unprecedented problem.

日本是世界上人口老齡化程度最高的國家，至少有27%的人口年齡在65歲以上。而這個國家正面臨著前所未有的問題。

A report from Bloomberg states that at least one in five women in Japanese prisons is a senior citizen, with at least nine out of ten of them committing minor offences like shoplifting.

據彭博社報道，日本監獄里每五名女性中至少有一人是老年人。她們所犯罪行九成以上都是小偷小摸之類的輕罪。

日本的犯罪率在發達國家中相對較低，但唯有老年人這個群體，犯罪數量卻在逐年增加。隨著老齡化的加劇，老年犯罪在日本逐漸成為一個嚴重的社會問題。

Between 1980 and 2015, the number of elderly people living by themselves in Japan increased more than sixfold to nearly 6 million.

1980年至2015年期間，日本獨居老人數量增加了6倍多，達近600萬人。

In 2017, a Tokyo government survey found that more than 50 percent of seniors who shoplifted lived alone and 40 percent didn't have a family or relative to turn to.

2017年，東京政府的一份調查發現，一半以上的老年偷竊者獨自生活，而四成老年偷竊者沒有家人或親屬可以依靠。

For decades prior to this trend, it was a tradition for families and communities to care for their older citizens, but a lack of resources is making that harder to do so.

在出現這種趨勢以前，日本多年來的傳統是由家庭和社區照顧老人，但資源不足導致這一傳統更難維系了。

With the older population feeling more and more isolated as a result of this, women especially have turned to a life of crime in the hope that prison will provide them with a refuge and a home.

于是越來越孤獨的老年人群，尤其是女性，走上犯罪道路，希望監獄為她們提供一個避風港和家。

Yumi Muranaka, head warden of Iwakuni Women's Prison, near Hiroshima, told Bloomberg:

村中由美（音譯）是廣島附近的巖國女子監獄獄長，她告訴彭博社：

They may have a house. They may have a family. But that doesn't mean they have a place they feel at home.

這些人可能有房子有家。但是這并不意味著她們能找到家的感覺。

They feel they are not understood. They feel they are only recognized as someone who gets the house chores done.

她們覺得自己不被理解，認為自己只是被當作保姆。

Elderly women, more so than men, are also considered to be more economically vulnerable, with nearly half of the female population over 65 living in poverty.

與老年男性相比，老年女性的經濟能力也被認為更脆弱，65歲以上的女性人群中近一半生活貧困。

Prison has provided these women with a chance to escape their domestic lives. Bloomberg spoke to several inmates with one, simply known as Ms. T, giving a particularly harrowing account of how her life deteriorated.

監獄為這些女性提供了一個逃離家庭生活的機會。彭博社采訪了幾名犯人，一名被稱為T女士的犯人極其悲慘地講述了她的生活是如何越來越糟的。

The 80-year-old is quoted as saying:

這位80歲的老人稱：

My husband had a stroke six years ago and has been bedridden ever since. He also has dementia and suffers from delusions and paranoia.

我丈夫6年前中風后臥床不起。他還患有老年癡呆，經常出現錯覺且偏執多疑。

It was a lot to take care of him physically and emotionally because of my old age. But I couldn't talk about my stress with anyone because I was ashamed.

我的年紀也大了，照顧他讓我身心俱疲，但我又恥于向其他人傾訴我的壓力。

I was imprisoned for the first time when I was 70. When I shoplifted, I had money in my wallet. Then I thought about my life.

我第一次入獄是70歲。我在商店偷竊時，錢包里還有錢。然后我開始思考人生。

I didn't want to go home, and I had nowhere else to go. Asking for help in prison was the only way.

我不想回家，但我也無處可去。向監獄尋求幫助是我唯一的選擇。

My life is much easier in prison. I can be myself and breathe, however temporarily.

在監獄里，我的生活好過多了。盡管是暫時的，但我能松下一口氣來做自己。

My son tells me I’m ill and I should be hospitalized in a mental institution and take it easy. But I don’t think I’m ill. I think my anxiety drove me to steal.

我兒子說我病了，應該住進精神病院，勸我看開點。但我并不感覺自己病了。我認為是焦慮促使我偷竊。

While in prison the women are assigned a specialist worker who will assist them with bathing and toilet tasks during the day, yet at night these duties are handled by guards.

在監獄里，白天有一名專門的護工照顧這些女性洗浴、上廁所，但到了晚上，這些活就落到獄警身上。

For some of these correctional officers, their day-to-day jobs are now closer to that of a nursing home attendant, with some having to deal with issues like incontinence.

對一些獄警來說，如今，他們的日常工作更近乎于療養院護工，有些人不得不處理失禁之類的問題。

Satomi Kezuka, an officer at Tochigi Women's Prison, added:

櫪木女子監獄的獄警毛冢里美（音譯）稱：

They [the women] are ashamed and hide their underwear.

她們感到羞恥，把內褲藏起來。

I tell them to bring it to me, and I will have it washed.

我讓她們拿給我，我會把內褲洗干凈。

Yet, this extra work creates further problems. Care for elderly prisoners saw medical costs in prisons pass the 6 billion yen mark in 2015, which is an 80 percent increase since 2005.

但是，這些額外的工作制造了更多問題。因為要照顧老年囚犯，日本監獄2015年的醫療開銷超過60億日元（約合人民幣3.5億元），比2005年上漲了80%。

Furthermore, more than a third of female correctional officers quit their jobs within three years, leading to an obvious shortage of staff.

此外，三年內，超過三分之一的女性獄警紛紛辭職，導致監獄工作明顯人手不足。

In 2016, a law was passed that would ensure that an ex-convict would receive help from Japan's welfare and social service systems.

2016年，日本國會通過一項法律，確保前科犯能夠得到國家福利和社會服務機構的幫助。

In addition to this, prosecution offices and prisons are working with government agencies in order to help the women who find themselves in this unfortunate situation.

除此之外，地檢部門和監獄與政府機構合作，以幫助這些生活不幸的女性。

英文來源：indy100

編譯：董靜

審校：yaning