A survey by the National Organization of Retired Citizens found that about 50 percent of crimes against the elderly are not reported. Reasons for the elderly's nonreporting of crime include fear of retaliation by the offender, perceived police ineffectiveness of indifference, lack of knowledge about the criminal justice system, fear of being blamed for not acting correctly to prevent the crime, and belief that little can be done to recover the stolen property. Many of the reasons for nonreporting stem from the elderly's isolation and passivity. The police, by and large, have done little to increase the elderly's knowledge of and confidence in the criminal justice system. The elderly's widespread belief that the police are indifferent to the problems and suffering caused by their victimization is often well-founded. The police, on the other hand, often find the elderly to be demanding and unrealistic in their expectations of the police, while being uncooperative as witnesses. Some police departments have made a special effort to target their services to the needs of the elderly, such as the New York City Police Department, which has formed a Senior Citizens Robbery Unit, which makes every effort to accommodate the victim and witness needs of the elderly. Following this example, police departments should give greater attention to the special needs of the elderly, particularly in providing social service assistance and referral. This service orientation should include establishing communication between elderly witnesses and victims and the court system. Tabular data and 43 references are provided.