NCJ Number
95697
Date Published
1984
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Research results presented pertain to crimes against the elderly and the elderly's fear of crime.
Abstract
All national survey data indicate the elderly have low victimization rates; for example, the most recent survey by the U.S. Department of Justice indicates that for persons 65 and over the victimization rate for crimes against the person was 4.4 per thousand. This compares with 10.9 for the 35-49 age group and 31.3 for the 20-24 age category. Nonetheless, there is substantial documentation that the elderly suffer from fear of crime. Fear of crime is analyzed using four variables: (1) sex, (2) race, (3) socioeconomic status, and (4) community size. Socioeconomic status is measured by income (less than $7,000 or more than $7,000) and education (less than high school, high school, and more than high school). Community size is measured by the following five-category scale: large city (250,000 plus), medium size city (50,000 to 250,000), suburb of large city, small town (2,500 to 50,000), and rural (under 2,500). Data indicate that women are far more likely to be fearful than are men, that blacks are more afraid of crime than whites, that people of higher socioeconomic status are less afraid than those of lower status, and that residents of large cities are more fearful than residents of small towns and rural areas. Nine references are listed.