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CRIMES AGAINST THE AGING - PATTERNS AND PREVENTION

NCJ Number
40636
Author(s)
R PARKS; C UNGER
Date Published
1977
Length
186 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DOCUMENTS A RESEARCH PROJECT ON HOW CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION AND THE PERCEIVED THREAT OF SUCH VICTIMIZATION AFFECTS OLDER AMERICAN LIVING IN A METROPOLITAN AREA.
Abstract
IT SUMMARIZES THE FINDINGS OF A THREE-YEAR STUDY OF PATTERNS AND PREVENTION OF VICTIMIZATION OF PERSONS 60 YEARS OLD AND OVER IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. VARIOUS DATA SOURCES WERE USED, ALTHOUGH THE MAIN EMPHASIS WAS ON SUCH PRIMARY DATA AS POLICE OFFENSE AND INVESTIGATIVE RECORDS FROM SEPTEMBER 1972 THROUGH APRIL 1975, INTERVIEWS WITH THE VICTIMS OR NEXT OF KIN, AND WITH OFFENDERS KNOWN TO HAVE COMMITTED THE TYPE OF CRIMES STUDIED (RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, ARMED ROBBERY, STRONG-ARM ROBBERY, LARCENY PURSE SNATCH, ASSAULT, FRAUD, HOMICIDE, AND RAPE). PATTERNS OF VICTIMIZATION WERE EXAMINED IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE VICTIM, THE OFFENDER, OFFENDER-VICTIM INTERACTION, AND CONSEQUENCES OF VICTIMIZATION. STUDY FINDINGS REVEALED THAT OLDER PEOPLE LIVING ON LIMITED, FIXED INCOMES WERE OFTEN TRAPPED IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO CRIME AND THE ELDERLY'S FEAR OF CRIME, REPORTED AS THEIR MOST SERIOUS CONCERN, IS JUSTIFIED BY THEIR HIGH LEVEL OF VICTIMIZATION. SIXTY PERCENT OF THE CRIMES AGAINST THE ELDERLY WERE BURGLARIES, FOLLOWED BY ROBBERY (PARTICULARLY STRONG-ARM ROBBERY, PURSE SNATCH, ASSAULT, AND FRAUD). WITH AN OVERALL MEDIAN INCOME OF ONLY $3,000 PER YEAR, ELDERLY VICTIMS WERE LIKELY TO SUFFER SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FROM FINANCIAL LOSSES, WHILE PROPERTY LOSSES OFTEN DEPRIVED VICTIMS OF THE FEW 'LUXURIES' THEY HAD. IN ADDITION, THE ANXIETY EXHIBITED BY MANY VICTIMS AND THE FEAR OF SOME TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES COULD NOT BE TOTALLY QUANTIFIED. RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE VICTIMIZATION LEVELS OF ELDERLY PERSONS MUST FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND ON THE COMMUNITY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE PREVENTION MEASURES A COMMUNITY CAN ADOPT ARE EDUCATION OF THE ELDERLY RELATIVE TO CRIMINAL TACTICS AND DETERRENT, ENCOURAGEMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ALERTNESS TO SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES, AND ASSISTANCE TO THE ELDERLY IN OBTAINING AND INSTALLING EFFECTIVE WINDOW AND DOOR LOCKS AND OTHER SECURITY DEVICES. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (SNI ABSTRACT)...ELW