In his famous short story "The Cop and the Anthem", O Henry recounted how a down and out homeless trying hard to commit peccadillos in order to get into jail so as to have a place to stay and food to sustain his life.  (I read the story many years ago, but I did not finish reading all passages of it.)

Now the story has become a reality in Japan.  A report said in 2017 about one fifth of total Japanese prisoners in jails are aged people over 65 years old, and most of them are charged with petty larceny, and about half of the total crime of theft.  Those "old people of low life" (下流老人) also "contributed" a lot to the crime of sexual harassment.  Now the old criminals is a serious ill of Japan society. 

Besides the absurd reason of "jail is a free home for the aged", the report concluded five others: the base of old people has enlarged, the aged have become poorer, the relatively better jail management in Japan, the feeling of alienation and loneliness of Japanese old people, and the growing unciviliazed behavior among "new generation" of Japanese seniors. 

Japanese government is worrying about the phenomenon and is trying to grapple with the problem, so soon shall China Mainland and Taiwan, where living and medical standard are improving in recent years.  We have to make hay while the sun shines.