Extent and Nature of Lawbreaking by the Elderly - A Review of Arrest Statistics (From Elderly Criminals, P 17-32, 1984, Evelyn S Newman et al, ed. - See NCJ-94544)

• NCJ Number: 94546
• Author(s): D Shichor
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: Oelgeschlager, Gunn and Hain Publishers, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

A review and analysis of Uniform Crime Reports data on lawbreaking behavior by the elderly (gathered for 5-year intervals between 1964 and 1979) suggest that the elderly account for only a small part of total arrests.

Abstract

Over the 15-year span, while police arrests for the general population rose 102.9 percent, arrests for the elderly rose a moderate 5.7 percent. A decline in arrests of the elderly for minor crimes occurred during the study period, while an increase of elderly involvement in serious crimes, ranging from larceny to homicide occurred. It must be remembered, however, that many biasing factors enter into official data and that police may be more likely to avoid taking elderly persons into custody. If police are more likely to make arrests of the elderly for serious than for minor crimes, however, data on serious crimes by the elderly may be more accurate than data on arrests for minor crimes. Data are provided on total offenses and total index offenses as well as on the following types of crimes: murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, driving under the influence, liquor law violations, drunkenness, disorderly conduct, vagrancy, gambling, and sex offenses.