NCJ Number
56424
Date Published
1978
Length
183 pages
Annotation
THE SPECIAL VULNERABILITY OF THE ELDERLY TO CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION IS DISCUSSED, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES DO NOT GIVE THEM NECESSARY ATTENTION AND PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THE FACT THAT VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS SHOW THE ELDERLY TO BE UNDERVICTIMIZED IN MOST CATEGORIES OF CRIME DOES NOT NEGATE THE REALITY THAT THE ELDERLY REQUIRE SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT CRIME DIFFERENTIALLY AFFECTS THEM. USING DATA GATHERED FROM EXISTING LITERATURE, VISITS TO SELECTED POLICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES, INFORMATION FROM OFFICES OF STATE AND REGIONAL AREA AGENCIES ON AGING, SENIOR CITIZEN CENTERS IN DAVIS AND SACRAMENTO, CALIF., AND A 1977 DAVIS COMMUNITY SURVEY OF 428 PERSONS ON FEAR OF CRIME, POLICE EFFECTIVENESS, AND PARTICIPATION IN POLICE PROGRAMS, THIS PAPER ARGUES THAT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE BEING VICTIMIZED, THAT THE VICTIMIZATION RATE FOR THE ELDERLY IS INCREASING, AND THAT THE OLDER AMERICAN IN THE INNER CITY IS DISPROPORTIONATELY THE VICTIM OF CRIME. THESE ELDERLY PERSONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMIZED REPEATEDLY, OFTEN BY THE SAME OFFENDER OR OFFENDERS. THEY TEND NOT TO REPORT THE CRIMES BECAUSE OF FEAR OF REPRISAL, THE BELIEF THAT POLICE CANNOT RECOVER THEIR PROPERTY, OR BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED. A NUMBER OF SURVEYS AND STUDIES ON CRIME AND THE ELDERLY ARE REVIEWED, AS WELL AS POLICE PROGRAMS FOR THE ELDERLY. THE PROGRAMS, MANY OF WHICH ARE LEAA-SPONSORED, PROVIDE OLDER PERSONS WITH INFORMATION ON PROTECTING THEIR HOMES AND PERSONS TO REDUCE VULNERABILITY TO CRIME. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS REMAIN IN EFFECT ONLY WHILE GRANT FUNDS LAST; THEY ARE NOT EVALUATED PROPERLY, AND THEY LACK CONTINUITY. THE 1977 DAVIS COMMUNITY SURVEY IS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL, COMPARING RESPONSES OF PARTICIPANTS WITH RESEARCH FINDINGS FROM OTHER STUDIES ON ELDERLY VICTIMIZATION. IT IS MAINTAINED THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEMS HAVE NOT YET DEVELOPED ADEQUATE REPORTING SYSTEMS TO IDENTIFY, PLOT, AND ULTIMATELY, REDUCE OLDER PEOPLE'S SUFFERING FROM CRIME. FURTHER RESEARCH, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON ELDERLY VICTIMIZATION AND CRIME PREVENTION ARE URGED. TABULAR DATA, REFERENCES, AND THE DAVIS SURVEY ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)