NCJ Number
230273
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2010 Pages: 206-224
Date Published
April 2010
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined the dynamics of elder sexual abuse and the response of the criminal justice system through a comparison of elder physical abuse.
Abstract
A great deal of research has considered the dynamics of sexual assault and the way that sexual assault cases are processed and handled in the criminal justice system. Most of this research has focused on sexual assault cases involving younger victims. Very little criminological research has considered the dynamics of elder sexual abuse. To fill this void, the current study uses a sample of 127 elder sexual abuse cases and 314 elder physical abuse cases to shed some light on the dynamics of elder sexual abuse and the way the justice system processes these cases. Attention is also given to the way that the processing of elder sexual abuse cases can be distinguished from the processing of elder physical abuse cases. Results show that a wide range of elder sexual abuse cases are committed and these cases are processed differently than elder physical abuse cases. Implications are provided. Tables and references (Published Abstract)