Improved data collection in the State has resulted in the availability of a wide range of statistics regarding the elderly and their victimization. Some of these statistics are presented in a discussion of the characteristics of the elderly in New York State, of the general picture of crime against the elderly in the State, and of the range of specific crimes which frequently target the elderly, such as confidence games, robbery, and nursing home abuse. Demographic data concerning the elderly in New York are also presented. Statewide, local, and Federal efforts to address the problem of elderly victimization are examined. Initiatives and activities of the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) are explored, such as data collection; the development of the comprehensive crime control plan; and funding of crime prevention and victim assistance programs, such as personal alarm security systems, the citizen band radio program, the security survey program, Operation Identification, and the elderly burglary prevention program. Local initiatives throughout the State are detailed. Federal initiatives, such as the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, Federal grants to aid victims, and neighborhood preservation projects are explored. Proposals are made for other initiatives to address the problem, including further LEAA program funding and local and State activities in community-based crime prevention, police-related crime prevention strategies, and programs to enhance relations between the elderly and juveniles. A list of projects funded by the Crime Control Planning Board to assist the elderly and a summary table of initiatives by county offices for the aging to protect the elderly are appended. Footnotes and 17 tables are included.