NCJ Number
87941
Date Published
1981
Length
158 pages
Annotation
U.S. Senate hearings held in Mexico focus on community efforts to prevent crime against the elderly.
Abstract
The purpose was to gather information to assist the Senate in evaluating the various Federal programs directed at helping senior citizens and to determine the efficacy of the Older Americans Act, which was under consideration for reauthorization. The hearings featured minimal participation from the committee itself; rather, efforts were directed toward conducting a workshop at which those involved in handling crime and the elderly under various programs throughout the country exchanged views with New Mexico law enforcement people and volunteer organization members who also work in this field. The two primary goals of the encounter were to identify the problem crime areas as they related to the elderly victim and to promote an exchange of ideas among experts and local individuals. Representatives of the New Mexico Criminal Justice Department, the New Mexico State Police Department, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Office of Senior Affairs for Albuquerque, and the Rio Grande Elderly Crime Stoppers of Albuquerque presented testimony before the committee. Major topics included senior crime stopping techniques, citizen awareness of the problem, fear of crime, criminal methods, and geographic distribution of crime in New Mexico. Letters, newspaper articles, and additional statements are appended.