NCJ Number
45224
Date Published
1977
Length
99 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A 2-YEAR EFFORT TO STUDY CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON OLDER PEOPLE IN AN URBAN COUNTY SETTING (SILVER SPRING, MD.) BY MEANS OF PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH 178 ELDERLY CITIZENS.
Abstract
TOPICS DISCUSSED DURING THE INTERVIEWS INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS, ATTITUDES ABOUT FEAR OF CRIME AND ABOUT POLICE PROTECTION, THE EFFECTS OF THIS FEAR OF CRIME ON DAILY LIVES, AND EXPERIENCES (IF ANY) AS VICTIMS OF CRIME. INTERVIEWEES WERE SELECTED BY A TELEPHONE RANDOM DIGIT DIALING TECHNIQUE, AND WERE INTERROGATED IN THEIR HOMES BY MEANS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE GIVEN IN AN APPENDIX. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON AGE, YEARS IN NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE RECOGNIZED IN THE TARGET AREA ARE DISCUSSED. TWENTY-FOUR PERCENT OF THOSE ELDERLY PERSONS INTERVIEWED HAD BEEN VICTIMIZED WITHIN THE PAST 5 YEARS, MOSTLY BY THE CRIMES OF LARCENY AND VANDALISM. THUS, THE TYPICAL VICTIM SUFFERS MONETARY LOSS, NOT PHYSICAL INJURY. THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A 'TYPICAL' VICTIM EXCEPT THAT VICTIMS ARE MORE LIKELY TO RESIDE IN THE OLDER, MORE URBANIZED PORTION OF THE TARGET AREA. THIS LACK OF A VICTIMIZATION PATTERN SUPPORTS THE CONTENTION THAT 'ANYONE COULD BE A VICTIM' AND UNDERSCORES THE NECESSITY OF PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES FOR THE ELDERLY. THE ELDERLY PERSON IN SILVER SPRING IS ONLY ONE-SIXTH AS FEARFUL AS THE AVERAGE. WOMEN, NONWHITES, THE LEAST EDUCATED, THOSE LIVING ALONE, AND THOSE WHO LIVE IN APARTMENTS ARE MORE FEARFUL OF CRIME THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS. MOST OF THE ELDERLY WHO ARE AFRAID TO GO OUT ARE SPECIFICALLY AFRAID OF GOING OUTSIDE AT NIGHT, AND CONSEQUENTLY THEY STAY INDOORS AND FOREGO NORMAL SOCIAL LIVES. TRAVEL DURING THE DAY IS APPARENTLY NOT RESTRICTED BY THE FEAR OF CRIME. THE ELDERLY LOOK TO SOCIAL SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF THEIR OWN EFFORTS TO DETER CRIMES AGAINST THEM, AND FAVOR MORE POLICE PROTECTION AND STRICTER PUNISHMENT FOR FOR CRIMINALS MORE THAN TWICE AS OFTEN AS OTHER SOLUTIONS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT RELIABLE, PERSONALIZED TRANSPORTATION BE PROVIDED FOR ELDERLY WITHOUT CARS. SINCE MOST OLDER PERSONS DO NOT TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED AND THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES SAFER THAN THEY REALLY ARE, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BE AIMED SPECIFICALLY AT THE ELDERLY IN ORDER TO DECREASE VICTIMIZATION. IF ASSISTANCE IS TO BE PROVIDED, IT SHOULD FOCUS ON BOTH THE REDUCTION OF FEAR AND THE PREVENTION OF CRIME. THE SURVEY METHODOLOGY IS EXPLAINED IN AN APPENDIX. TABULAR DATA ILLUSTRATE THE REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DJM)