Trends in the Criminality and Victimization of the Elderly

Among the relatively reliable variables predictive of amount and types of crime is age. The proportion of violent crimes will decline as the ages of the offenders increases. On the other hand, the proportion of the elderly who are victimized by crime, particularly theft, financial fraud, and physical abuse, exceeds that of other age groups. The authors focus on changes in the amount and types of crime committed by the elderly and also on the various methods used to victimize the elderly.