NCJ Number
84543
Journal
Police Magazine Volume: 5 Issue: 5 Dated: (September 1982) Pages: 57-61,63-64
Date Published
1982
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article describes the efforts of police to assist the elderly in preventing victimization through robbery and burglary.
Abstract
Particularly in the inner city, many elderly individuals live in fear of robbery and violence. Although there is some question that the elderly, as a group, are victimized more often than other citizens, there is no question that when they are victims they are less able to defend themselves against marauding youths. A mugging or burglary can be psychologically devastating. As a result, serior citizen escort services have been established in many communities, direct deposit of Social Security checks has been encouraged through the media, and telephone hot lines to assist the elderly have been set up. Only a few cities have established special police units to combat crime against the elderly, the largest of which is in New York City. The effort features intensive investigation and the liberal use of police decoys in appropriate areas. After the program's initiation, the number of robberies in which the victims were aged 60 or over declined by 30.6 percent. Most cities, rather than creating special units, choose to respond to particular situations as they occur, and to back up this work with community relations and crime prevention efforts. Photographs are provided.