NCJ Number
93977
Date Published
1983
Length
139 pages
Annotation
This working paper examines the problem of the elderly as victims of crime. The image of the elderly as vulnerable to crime exceeds the facts of their real susceptibility.
Abstract
Attempts to focus public attention on the problems have resulted in newspaper publicity of anecdotal material suggesting the existence of a problem that is not only grave but also widespread. Studies of police data force the conclusion that such victimization is rare, with the exception of certain minor forms of predatory crime. Objections to these studies state that the impact of victimization is more relevant than the frequency, that the elderly are disinclined to report crime, and that treating the elderly as one homogenous lump of demographic data is poor methodological practice. Victimization surveys in the U.S. and Europe consistently uphold the police studies and thereby refute these objections. The elderly are not the most victimized group. If anything, age acts as a risk-decreasing factor. The elderly are victims because they sometimes live in high crime areas, because they have other characteristics of victims. They do have a greater likelihood of sustaining injury and great financial loss when they are victimized. Programs for the elderly fall into four categories: those designed to increase apprehension of offenders, those designed to improve relations between the elderly and the police, deterrence programs, and assistance programs for victims. Canada must rely on the studies of other nations when discussing this issue, for much of its own research is still in progress. A 26-page bibliography and a French language summary are included.