Clinical Epidemiology of Crime Victimization in Older Adults: A Multidisciplinary Pilot Study

• NCJ Number: 199037
• Journal: Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: 2001 Pages: 79-90
• Author(s): Mark S. Lachs M.D.; Carolyn Bove B.A.; Melvin H. Wearing B.S.; Christianna Williams M.S.; Ronet Bachman Ph.D.; Leo M. Clooney M.D.
• Editor(s): Pamela B. Teaster Ph.D., Georgia J. Anetzberger Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Through a multidisciplinary pilot study, this article reports on a unique team collaboration marrying the fields of criminology and gerontology as they relate to the victimization in older adults utilizing a cohort of community-dwelling older adults.

Abstract

In a survey of literature, little empirical research has been conducted on the impact of crime in older Americans, as well as the health impact of crime. The purpose of this pilot observational cohort study was to estimate the prevalence and types of police, older adult interaction in a well characterized observational cohort of community-dwelling older adults. The study consisted of a random sample of 200 of the New Haven Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies in the Elderly (EPESE), 2,812 community-dwelling older adults (65 years of age or older) in inception year 1982. The New Haven Police Department serves the catchment area of the cohort with all cohort members experiencing a crime in metropolitan New Haven and reporting the victimization to police and having the municipal department respond. Manual matching of police records from the same jurisdiction as the cohort for the follow-up period 1985-1991 was attempted. The pilot demonstrates that in an urban cohort of 2,812, a random sub-sample of 200 cohort members revealed that 47 cohort members had 86 interactions with the police department serving the same jurisdiction. Their roles were as victim, witness, reporter, and perpetrator. The 23.5 percent prevalence of any police contact and the 11.5 percent prevalence of contacts where they were victims among the first 200 cohort members far exceed population based rates of utilization of agencies. Community police departments play an important role in interacting with the aging population in all facets. The study concluded that community police departments have substantial involvement with the older population. References