PRIMARY DATA WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH VICTIMS, NEXT OF KIN, POLICE, WITNESSES, AND A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER EX-FELONS KNOWN TO HAVE ACCUMULATED EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPES OF CRIMES THAT AFFECTED THE ELDERLY MOST SERIOUSLY (RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, ARMED AND STRONG ARM ROBBERY, AND LARCENY). NARRATIVE AND TABULAR DATA INDICATE THAT 56 PERCENT OF THE CRIMES AGAINST THE ELDERLY WERE BURGLARIES. THE MEDIAN AGE OF VICTIMS WAS 68.8 YEARS, ALTHOUGH 12 PERCENT WERE OVER 80 YEARS OF AGE. A MAJORITY OF THE VICTIMS (74 PERCENT) WERE WHITE AND HAD BEEN VICTIMIZED BY BLACK MALES UNDER 30. OVER 58 PERCENT OF THE ROBBERY VICTIMS HAD INCOMES UNDER $5000 A YEAR AND OVER 26 PERCENT OF ALL ELDERLY VICTIMS OF ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AND LARCENY WERE MULTIPLE VICTIMS. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE DATA FOR PERSONAL AND RESIDENTIAL SECURITY, TARGET HARDENING, AND CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT ARE CONSIDERED....ELW