Why some aging spies won't walk out of U.S. prisons, long after the Cold War

Thirty years after the arrest of Aldrich Ames, the double agent remains in a U.S. prison. Analysts say the fallout from such stinging betrayals can jeopardize national security and put lives at risk — all factors that play into determining why some spies, like Ames, remain locked up indefinitely.

Why some aging spies won't walk out of U.S. prisons, long after the Cold War
Aldrich Ames is seen leaving a U.S. federal courthouse in Alexandra, Va., after being arraigned on spying-related charges on Feb. 22, 1994.

Thirty years after the arrest of Aldrich Ames, the double agent remains in a U.S. prison. Analysts say the fallout from such stinging betrayals can jeopardize national security and put lives at risk — all factors that play into determining why some spies, like Ames, remain locked up indefinitely.