In 1986, there were 350 inmates 55 or older in the system, with the largest number being in the 55-59 age range. About 66 percent of these inmates had been convicted of personal offenses, while 34 percent were convicted of property, drug, and public order offenses. This contrasts with the 52 percent property and drug and 48 percent personal offenders found in a 1974-1975 sample. Of the sample, the largest numbers (34 percent) received maximum sentences of 5 to 9.9 years; 71 percent received sentences of 1 to 20 years. The modal length of stay to parole eligibility for older offenders is 5 years (11.2 years for personal offenders, 1.6 years for property offenders), an increase over stays in 1970-1975. Admissions of older inmates between 1980-1985 outpaced releases by 32 percent. An additional 322 inmates will reach age 55 prior to parole eligibility. Among this 'long-term inmate growing old' population, 58 percent were convicted of murder as compared to 16 percent of the older cohort and there is a relative absence of property offenders. Of the younger group, 52.2 percent have life sentences as compared to 8 percent of the older inmates. Finally, projections suggest that the older inmate population will continue to increase incrementally, with inmates 55 and older constituting 3.6 percent of the total projected prison population by 1990, and those who will turn 55 before parole eligibility constituting 6.2 percent of the total. 21 tables, 1 figure, 11 notes, and 8 references.