NCJ Number
60262
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A REVIEW OF THE PROBLEM OF CRIME AGAINST THE ELDERLY AS IT AFFECTS THE BLACK AND SPANISH ELDERLY, AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND POLICE TRAINING ARE PROVIDED.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE MINORITY ELDERLY ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE WHITE ELDERLY, THE PROBLEMS ARE HEIGHTENED BY SUCH FACTORS AS POVERTY AND RACISM. TWO AREAS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY TROUBLESOME FOR THE MINORITY AGED ARE FEAR OF CRIME AND FEAR OF POLICE. CRIME RATES AGAINST MINORITIES ARE HIGHER AND ARE INCREASING AT A FASTER RATE THAN AGAINST WHITES. ON THE AVERAGE THERE ARE BROAD DIFFERENCES IN THE SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF NONWHITE AND WHITE ELDERLY. MINORITY ELDERLY ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN POVERTY AND TO BE CONCENTRATED IN CENTRAL CITY GHETTOS OR RURAL POCKETS OF POVERTY. MINORITY ELDERLY ARE ALSO MORE FEARFUL OF POLICE AS A RESULT OF HAVING LIVED DURING AN ERA WHEN POLICE BRUTALITY, RACIAL OPPRESSION, AND DISCRIMINATION WERE MORE COMMON. POLICE WORK IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION BETWEEN POLICE AND MINORITIES, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY. UNDERSTANDING THE WAYS IN WHICH MINORITIES HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED AND DENIED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IS HELPFUL TO EFFECTIVE POLICE WORK. THE SHIFT FROM CRIME-CENTERED LAW ENFORCEMENT TO FULL-SERVICE POLICING EMPHASIZING POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS MUST GATHER MOMENTUM TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION BETWEEN THE POLICE AND MINORITIES. A STATISTICAL TABLE AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)