NCJ Number
165718
Journal
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (1996) Pages: 241-252
Date Published
1996
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The prevalence of mental disorders was studied in a sample of 50 alleged offenders over 60 years of age in Essex, England, and reasons for police action were identified.
Abstract
Of 150 individuals identified for the study, 50 were interviewed using the Geriatric Mental State (A), 3rd edition. Previous offending history and stated reasons for case disposal mode were obtained from the police. Results showed that, of 153 offenses committed by elderly offenders, 97 (63 percent) involved shoplifting. Fourteen of those interviewed were identified as cases by the Automated Geriatric Examination for Computer Assisted Taxonomy (AGECAT). Among shoplifters, 38 percent were identified as cases, with nine of 11 cases belonging to AGECAT organic and depressive syndrome groups. No association between first onset of offending in late life and mental disorder was identified. Cautions to elderly offenders were associated with police perceptions of attitude toward the offense and having a clean record. The police referred only half of individuals later identified as psychiatric cases to welfare agencies and were unlikely to refer on nonpsychiatric cases. The authors recommend that health care agencies and the police cooperate to ensure offenses related to elderly mental disorders are carefully evaluated. 19 references and 4 tables