OLDER ADULT AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

• NCJ Number: 61899
• Author(s): M A Y RIFAI
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: Applied Systems Research and Development, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VICTIMOLOGY, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, SEPTEMBER 5-11, 1976

Annotation

RESULTS ARE PRESENTED OF A STUDY DONE IN PORTLAND, OREG., ON OLDER AMERICANS' ATTITUDES ABOUT THE U.S. CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE STUDY'S DATA CAME FROM INTERVIEWS WITH A RANDOM SAMPLING OF 500 PERSONS OVER AGE 60 IN PORTLAND, REVIEWS OF 300 POLICE RECORDS OF VICTIMS OVER AGE 60, 50 IN-DEPTH STUDIES OF VICTIMS, AND OBSERVATIONS IN HIGH-CRIME AREAS WITH PREDOMINANTLY ELDERLY POPULATIONS. SINCE THE ELDERLY POPULATIONS FROM BOTH RANDOM SELECTIONS WERE 96 PERCENT WHITE, A SMALL, SUPPLEMENTARY STUDY WAS DONE OF SELECTIONS FROM BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS. THE INTERVIEWS INDICATE DISSATISFACTION OF THE ELDERLY WITH THE COURTS BUT STRONG SUPPORT OF POLICE. ALTHOUGH MOST FELT THE POLICE WERE EFFECTIVE AND SUFFICIENTLY VISIBLE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, ONLY 69 PERCENT OF ELDERLY CRIME VICTIMS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTING POLICE WORK. RESPONDENTS FELT COURTS WERE LENIENT WITH CRIMINALS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CORRELATION SEEN BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO THE COURTS AND DISSATISFACTION. MOREOVER ONLY 47 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO WERE CRIME VICTIMS HAD CALLED THE POLICE TO REPORT SUCH INCIDENTS. IN ADDITION, MANY VICTIMS FELT INTIMIDATED AND CONFUSED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THEY RECOMMENDED ESTABLISHING VICTIMS' COUNSELORS AND RESTITUTION BY CRIMINALS. STATISTICS SHOW THAT VICTIMS REPORTING CRIME HAVE STRONG FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT. THREE HIGH-CRIME AREAS OBSERVED WERE THE 'SKID-ROW,' DISTRICT, THE RACIALLY-MIXED INNER CITY, AND FEDERAL HOUSING PROJECTS. ALTHOUGH THE ELDERLY LIVING ON SKID ROW WERE INVARIABLY CRIME VICTIMS WITHIN A YEAR, THEY WERE UNCOOPERATIVE WITH POLICE DUE TO FEAR OF REPRISALS. CRIMES IN THE INNER CITY WERE OFTEN DRUG-RELATED, OCCURRED AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS, AND WERE INTRARACIAL. RESIDENTS OF FEDERAL HOUSING PROJECTS REPORTED CONSIDERABLE VICTIMIZATION, MAINLY BY JUVENILES. HIGH-CRIME AREA RESIDENTS GENERALLY FELT POLICE OFFERED THEM LITTLE PROTECTION AND FELT HOPELESS ABOUT STOPPING CRIME. TABLES CONTAIN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM RANDOM-SAMPLE INTERVIEWS; REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)