NCJ Number
78836
Date Published
Unknown
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the extent and nature of property crime victimization among the rural elderly.
Abstract
It examines the proportion of elderly victimized by three major types of property crime (vandalism, burglary, and household larceny) and compares the extent of victimization between the younger and older respondents from the study. It then reviews characteristics of rural elderly victims and compares attitudes toward crime between the older and younger respondents. Finally, the paper looks at the impact of victimization to the rural elderly with respect to their perceived seriousness of crime and feelings of personal safety. Information for the paper is based on a rural victimization study conducted in Pike County, Ind., using telephone interviews with 366 households. The victimization questions were divided into two parts: items on household crimes and crimes against the person. Attitudes toward crime and feelings of personal safety were measured by four attitudinal items. Findings point to only slight differences between the proportion of older and younger households experiencing vandalism, burglary, and household larceny. Older rural persons were less likely to 'always' feel safe at home than younger rural persons, and older persons from the open-country felt less safe than older persons from the town. Moreover, rural persons 70 years and older were less likely to feel safe than rural persons age 60-69, although these differences were minimal. Finally, rural older persons who had experienced at least one property crime victimization were far less likely to feel safe than rural older nonvictims. These findings imply that further victim research must seriously be conducted as the elderly population is growing. Tables and 10 references are included.