EVALUATING THE RHETORIC OF CRISIS - A CASE STUDY OF CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION OF THE ELDERLY

• NCJ Number: 52591
• Journal: Social Service Review Volume: 50 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 632-646
• Author(s): F L COOK; T D COOK
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Chicago Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

VICTIMIZATION OF THE ELDERLY IS EVALUATED, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE EVIDENCE RELATING VICTIMIZATION TO VARIOUS DEFINITIONS OF CRISIS IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

SINCE 1971, CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION OF THE ELDERLY HAS RECEIVED INCREASING ATTENTION FROM SCHOLARS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND JOURNALISTS. TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE LANGUAGE OF CRISIS IS APPROPRIATE IN DESCRIBING THE STATUS OF VICTIMIZATION OF THE ELDERLY, IT IS NECESSARY TO DEFINE CRISIS. FOUR DEFINITIONS OF CRISIS ARE PRESENTED THAT CONCERN THE RELATIVE FREQUENCY OF VICTIMIZATION, INCREASES IN THE RATE OF VICTIMIZATION, THE RELATIVE SEVERITY OF CONSEQUENCES, AND THE RELATIVE FEAR OF BEING VICTIMIZED. THE BEST SOCIAL SCIENCE DATA ON THE FREQUENCY OF VICTIMIZATION COME FROM NATIONAL SURVEYS OF REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES. A SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER IN 1966 AND SHOWED THAT THE ELDERLY ARE LEAST LIKELY TO BE THE VICTIMS OF MOST CLASSES OF CRIME. ANOTHER SURVEY, AUTHORIZED BY THE LEAA AND CONDUCTED IN 1973, HAD RESULTS SIMILAR TO THE 1966 SURVEY. INTERPRETATIONS OF THE AGE EFFECT IN THESE SURVEY DATA COULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE REDUCED NUMBER OF CRIME CATEGORIES THAT APPLY TO THE ELDERLY, THE INABILITY OF THE EFFECT OF AGE TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EFFECT OF SEX, THE CONFUSION OF AGE WITH RACE, AND REPORTING BIASES INHERENT IN EVALUATING AGE DIFFERENCES IN VICTIMIZATION. EVIDENCE FROM THE TWO SURVEYS DID NOT SUGGEST THAT VICTIMIZATION OF THE ELDERLY IS INCREASING AT A FASTER RATE THAN VICTIMIZATION OF OTHER AGE GROUPS. IN 1966, THE ELDERLY WERE LEAST LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. IN 1973, THE ELDERLY WERE LEAST LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, SIMPLE ASSAULT, AND ROBBERY WITH INJURY. FEAR OF CRIME APPEARED TO HAVE INCREASED AT A FASTER RATE AMONG THE ELDERLY THAN AMONG THE YOUNG DURING THE SURVEY YEARS. OF ALL AGE GROUPS, THE YOUNG WERE THE MOST LIKELY TO BE VICTIMIZED. VICTIM INCOME WAS NEGATIVELY RELATED TO BEING THE VICTIM OF VIOLENT CRIMES BUT WAS POSITIVELY RELATED TO BEING THE VICTIM OF NONVIOLENT CRIMES. BLACKS WERE MORE HEAVILY VICTIMIZED THAN WHITES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT VICTIMIZATION IN THE ELDERLY MAY BE MORE PROPERLY IDENTIFIED AS A PROBLEM OF FEAR RATHER THAN OF ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION. SURVEY DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)