REASONS FOR THE CONTEMPORARY SIGNIFICANCE OF CRIME AND GERONTOLOGY ARE DISCUSSED, AND A THEMATIC DIAGRAM IS PRESENTED, AS WELL AS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: (1) THE ELDERLY AS VICTIMS, (2) CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR THE ELDERLY, (3) THE ELDERLY AS VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND (4) THE ELDERLY AS CRIMINALS. THE TEXT ALSO SHOWS WHY THE ELDERLY ARE MORE VULNERABLE TO CRIME THAN OTHER AGE GROUPS. USING NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DATA, CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF BEING AN ELDERLY VICTIM, VIOLENT VERSUS NONVIOLENT VICTIMIZATION, AND THE FEAR OF VICTIMIZATION CAUSING VOLUNTARY SELF-IMPRISONMENT. PERSONAL EXAMPLES OF CRIMES AGAINST THE ELDERLY ARE HIGHLIGHTED, AND THE TEXT DESCRIBES EFFECTIVENESS OF CERTAIN CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND THEORIES THAT EXPLAIN HOW AND WHY THE ELDERLY ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR ARE DISCUSSED. CONCERNS INVOLVING CRIME AND THE ELDERLY SHOULD INCLUDE (1) CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS DEALING WITH CRIME PREVENTION TECHNIQUES, (2) IMPROVED TECHNIQUES FOR ELDERLY VICTIMIZATION REPORTING, (3) SPECIAL RESEARCH, (4) INVOLVEMENT BY THE ELDERLY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS, (5) INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY, (6) HARSHER PENALTIES AND SWIFTER PUNISHMENT, (7) VICTIM COMPENSATION, AND (8) HOME SECURITY SUPPORTED BY FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO FUND IT. EACH CHAPTER HAS REVIEW QUESTIONS, SUGGESTED READINGS, AND REFERENCE NOTES. CHARTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND INDEX, AND THREE APPENDIXES (STATE AND REGIONAL AGENCIES ON AGING, ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE ELDERLY, AND PUBLICATIONS EMPHASIZING ELDERLY CONCERNS) ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG) ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE ELDERLY, AND