NCJ Number
50768
Date Published
1978
Length
64 pages
Annotation
POLICE FILES WERE AUDITED AND 300 SENIOR CITIZENS WERE SURVEYED IN AN EFFORT TO DOCUMENT ELDERLY VICTIMIZATION AND GAUGE ITS EFFECT ON THE PERCEPTIONS AND LIFESTYLES OF SENIOR ADULTS IN ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Abstract
COMPUTER PRINTOUTS OF ACTS OF VICTIMIZATION BETWEEN 1974 AND 1977 WERE OBTAINED AND ALL CRIME AGAINST INDIVIDUALS 50 YEARS OR OLDER WERE ISOLATED AND CATEGORIZED BY TYPE, LOCATION, TIME OF OCCURRENCE AND TYPE OF VICTIM (I.E., AGE, SEX, AND RACE). ADDITIONALLY, A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 300 SENIOR CITIZENS WAS TAKEN AND DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS: THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT PROJECT AWARENESS LECTURES AND THOSE WHO HAVE ATTENDED PROJECT AWARENESS LECTURES DELIVERED AT NUTRITION CENTERS, SENIOR CITIZENS LECTURE GROUPS, HOME SECURITY SEMINARS, AND OTHER EVENTS. PROJECT AWARENESS OFFERS CRIME PREVENTION TECHNIQUES TO SENIOR CITIZENS THROUGH FIVE LECTURES DEALING WITH HOME SECURITY, STREET SAFETY, CONSUMER FRAUD, GENERAL CRIME RESISTANCE, AND PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION. THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT 71 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE, TO A LARGE EXTENT, SELF-SUFFICIENT; THAT 31 PERCENT OF BOTH GROUPS WENT OUT AFTER DARK AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK; THAT ONLY 10 PERCENT NEVER FELT SAFE IN THEIR LIVING QUARTERS, NEIGHBORHOODS, YARDS, OR SHOPPING AREAS; AND THAT 86 PERCENT OF BOTH GROUPS FELT SAFE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR IN AUTOMOBILES. RESPONSES FROM BOTH GROUPS ABOUT POLICE EFFECTIVENESS AND SERVICE WERE SIMILARLY POSITIVE. HOWEVER, THE RESPONSES FROM BOTH GROUPS ABOUT THE EFFECT OF CRIME ON THEIR ACTIVITIES AND MOVEMENTS WERE NEGATIVE: 88 PERCENT WERE EITHER GREATLY OR SOMEWHAT INHIBITED BY A FEAR OF BEING VICTIMIZED. ALSO, ONLY HALF OF THOSE WHO REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED REPORTED THE CRIME TO THE POLICE BECAUSE THEY WERE EITHER FRIGHTENED, DID NOT THINK THE AUTHORITIES WOULD DO ANYTHING, DID NOT THINK THE AUTHORITIES COULD DO ANYTHING, DID NOT KNOW WHAT NUMBER TO CALL, OR COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE OFFENDERS. OVER 52 PERCENT OF EACH GROUP TOOK PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE THE LOSS INCURRED BY A VICTIMIZATION, WHILE 43 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED PROJECT AWARENESS LECTURE AND 27 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO DID NOT FELT THAT IMPROVED SECURITY MEASURES (LOCK ON DOORS AND WINDOWS, LEAVING THE LIGHTS ON) WERE TECHNIQUES THEY FELT NECESSARY. THE REVIEW OF POLICE STATISTICS FOUND THAT SENIOR CITIZENS WERE SELDOM THE VICTIMS OF FORCIBLE RAPE, MURDER, AND AUTO THEFT AND WERE MORE VULNERABLE TO ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, AND LARCENY. TABULAR DATA, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)