Literature about the elderly's need for police service focuses on the impact of victimization upon the elderly, elderly fear of crime, the elderly's need for noncrime-related police services, the growing proportion of elderly in the population, and the elderly's right to special services. A survey of 913 elderly residents in 2 American cities shows that urban elderly's anxieties about crime impose several limitations on their lifestyles and contribute to feelings of depression and loneliness. However, despite the physical, financial, and emotional suffering caused by victimization and fear of crime, the elderly expressed extremely favorable attitudes toward the police. A total of 893 police officers in the 2 cities were also surveyed on their attitudes toward the elderly. Findings suggest that from the police perspective, the elderly are not a problem, except for police difficulty in referring elderly persons to appropriate sources for help with noncrime-related problems. Policy implications are noted. Footnotes are included.
Police Service Delivery to the Elderly, Executive Summary
NCJ Number
90048
Date Published
1980
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This report presents a brief review of current knowledge and opinion about the elderly's need for police service, discusses the findings of a study of police service delivery to the elderly, and assesses the implications of these findings for police operations.
Abstract