PATTERNS OF PERSONAL CRIME AGAINST THE ELDERLY - FINDINGS FROM A NATIONAL SURVEY

• NCJ Number: 58028
• Journal: Gerontologist Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: (1977) Pages: 321-327
• Author(s): G E ANTUNES; F L COOK; T D COOK; W G SKOGAN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-NI-99-0130
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Gerontological Soc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FINDINGS FROM A NATIONAL SURVEY ARE ANALYZED TO DETERMINE PATTERNS OF PERSONAL CRIME AGAINST THE ELDERLY AND PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS TO REDUCE THEIR VULNERABILITY TO CRIME.

Abstract

DATA WERE GATHERED FROM 375,000 INDIVIDUALS INTERVIEWED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1973 AND JULY 1974, AS PART OF A SURVEY PROGRAM FINANCED BY LEAA. RESULTS OF THE SURVEY INDICATE THAT THE ELDERLY ARE ACTUALLY LESS LIKELY THAN OTHERS TO BE VICTIMIZED BUT ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE THE VICTIMS OF PREDATORY INCIDENTS SUCH AS PURSE SNATCHING AND PICKPOCKETING--CRIMES INVOLVING PERSONAL CONTACT. WHILE THEY ARE MORE PRONE TO PREDATION, THEY ARE LESS LIKELY THAN A YOUNGER PERSON TO BE TREATED VIOLENTLY. THEY ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY THAN YOUNGER VICTIMS TO HAVE BEEN ATTACKED BY BLACK YOUTHS ACTING ALONE WHO WERE STRANGERS TO THEM. FINALLY, THEIR ASSAILANTS ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE ARMED THAN ARE ASSAILANTS OF YOUNGER VICTIMS. THESE FINDINGS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING WHY THE ELDERLY FEAR CRIME MORE THAN YOUNGER PERSONS, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE VICTIMIZED LESS FREQUENTLY. SINCE YOUNG BLACK MALES CAN BE SEEN ON THE STREETS IN MANY AREAS, EACH PERSON WHO CONFORMS TO THIS PHYSICAL TYPE MAY INSTILL IN THE OLDER PERSON THE FEAR OF BEING VICTIMIZED. SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THREE FACTORS: AVAILABILITY, VULNERABILITY, AND DESIRABILITY. THE ELDERLY COULD BECOME VICTIMS LESS OFTEN IF MADE LESS DESIRABLE AS TARGETS BY INCREASING THE PENALTIES FOR ATTACKING THEM OR BY ENCOURAGING THEM NOT TO CARRY MUCH MONEY. FINALLY, THE ELDERLY COULD APPEAR LESS VULNERABLE AS TARGETS OF CRIME BY INCREASING POLICE SURVEILLANCE OF PLACES THAT THE ELDERLY FREQUENT OR BY ENCOURAGING THE 'BUDDY SYSTEM' AND OTHER GROUP ACTIVITIES WHICH MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ACCOST THE ELDERLY ON THE STREET. IN ADDITION, FINDING JOBS FOR YOUNG MALES TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS AND GIVE THEM MONEY AND A STAKE IN THE SOCIAL ORDER IS ANOTHER SOLUTION. TABULAR DATA INCLUDED. (STB)