POLICE SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE ELDERLY (Article)

• NCJ Number: 56513
• Journal: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Volume: 438 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 81-95
• Author(s): S SCHACK; R S FRANK
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-NI-99-0137
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

SURVEY FINDINGS ARE REPORTED FROM A POLL OF ELDERLY CITIZEN ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE SERVICES IN TWO MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES. THE IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICE OPERATIONS ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

WHILE NATIONAL VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS HAVE CONSISTENTLY SHOWN THAT THE ELDERLY HAVE A LOWER LEVEL OF VICTIMIZATION THAN OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, THE PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT UPON THE ELDERLY VICTIM TENDS TO BE GREATER THAN FOR VICTIMS IN OTHER AGE GROUPS. THIS FACT WARRANTS SPECIAL POLICE EFFORTS TO REDUCE CRIMES AGAINST THE ELDERLY. A RECENT SURVEY OF ELDERLY RESIDENTS IN TWO MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES--ONE LOCATED IN THE DEEP SOUTH AND THE OTHER IN THE NORTHEAST--EXPLORED THE ELDERLY'S ATTITUDES TOWARD AND EXPERIENCES WITH THE POLICE, THEIR REACTIONS TO CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION, AND THEIR FEAR OF CRIME. ALL RESPONDENTS WERE 60 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND WERE SELECTED BY RANDOM PROBABILITY SAMPLING. A TOTAL OF 913 INTERVIEWS WAS COMPLETED, DIVIDED ROUGHLY EQUALLY BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES. SIXTY-THREE PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE FEMALE, 37 PERCENT WERE MALE; 55.4 PERCENT WERE WHITE, 42.8 WERE BLACK. ONLY 6.1 PERCENT REPORTED HAVING INCOMES OF OVER $10,000 PER YEAR, AND OVER 60 PERCENT REPORTED INCOMES OF LESS THAN HALF THAT AMOUNT. FINDINGS REVEALED THAT MOST OF THE ELDERLY HAVE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE; HOWEVER, THOSE ELDERLY CITIZENS WHO HAVE EITHER CALLED THE POLICE OR WHO ARE INCLINED TO TURN TO THE POLICE FOR HELP WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF PROBLEMS HAVE LESS POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE QUALITY OF POLICE SERVICES THEY HAVE RECEIVED OR EXPECT TO RECEIVE. THE RELATIVE LACK OF POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE APPEARS TO BE PRIMARILY THE RESULT OF A GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE ELDERLY EXPECT FROM THE POLICE AND THE SERVICE ACTUALLY RECEIVED. CERTAIN PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE ELDERLY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EVALUATIONS OF POLICE PERFORMANCE: RACE, INCOME, LEVELS OF PERSONAL CYNICISM, FEELINGS OF ELDERLY SUPERIORITY, AND REACTIONS TO TELEVISON. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PROPOSED TO IMPROVE POLICE SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE ELDERLY. (RCB)