RECOGNITION OF A SPECIAL 'CATEGORY' OF PERSONS CREATES A PROBLEM WITHIN PUBLIC SERVICE AGENCIES SINCE IT IMPLIES ALLOCATION OF SPECIAL RESOURCES, DESIGNATION OF PERSONNEL TO ADMINISTER PROGRAMS DIRECTED AT THIS GROUP, AND PLANNING AND BUDGETING FOR SPECIAL ACTIVITIES. THE ELDERLY HAVE BECOME RECOGNIZED WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS A SPECIAL GROUP THAT IS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO CRIME, SUFFERS, GREATER TRAUMA FROM CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST THEM, AND IS LESS ECONOMICALLY ABLE TO ABSORB CRIME EFFECTS THAN THE REST OF SOCIETY. STATISTICS CITED FROM SEVERAL STUDIES SHOW THAT THE ELDERLY ARE MORE HOSPITALIZED AFTER VICTIMIZATION, (ABOUT 12 PERCENT ARE HOSPITALIZED AFTER VIOLENT CRIME), THAT STREET CRIME OFTEN INVOLVES ELDERLY VICTIMS (THE MEDIAN AGE FOR VICTIMS OF STREET CRIMES IS 67.8 YEARS), AND THAT THE ELDERLY ARE MORE OFTEN THE TARGET OF CRIMES OF BUNCO AND CONFIDENCE. THE SAN FRANCISCO AND LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENTS REPORT THAT MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF BUNCO VICTIMS ARE 65 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. A KANSAS CITY STUDY FOUND THAT THE ELDERLY LIVING IN HIGH-CRIME AREAS WERE VICTIMIZED BY BURGLARY AND ROBBERY AT A RATE 3 TO 4 TIMES THAT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION. THERE IS A NEED TO ESTABLISH CONCISE POLICIES ENSURING THE MINIMUM RESOURCES NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OF THE ELDERLY AND TO PROMOTE SUBSTANTIVE RESEARCH IN THIS AREA. (DAG)