Crime And Elder Abuse

This book examines and analyses the experiences of older people as both victims and perpetrators of crime. Drawing upon a wealth of research from British and North American sources, the authors detail the historical experience of the elderly as victims, the extent of present-day criminal victimisation in the home and institutions, the social theories which attempt to explain that experience, and the types of resolution available. The book also addresses the experiences of elderly people in the criminal justice process - the offences to which they are prone, and the implications for penal policy of an increase in the elderly penal population. Crime, Abuse and the Elderly breaks new ground in its focus on the experiences of elderly people as criminal victims in private space, its insistence on a proper engagement of criminology with crimes involving older people, and in its argument that much so-called abuse can be explained criminologically and should be dealt with by the criminal justice system rather than by treatment and welfare agencies. It will be essential reading for students, academics and professionals concerned with the experiences of the elderly.

This book will help to advance understanding among policymakers, practitioners, and educators and prepare them to limit the negative consequences associated with victimization of older adults. This second edition builds on the earlier edition in five ways. First, new research has been added into each chapter. Second, the tables and figures have been updated, with applied critical thinking questions now included in order to make the tables and figures more interactive with readers. Third, various sections have been added in different chapters. Fourth, chapters 2-7 now include box inserts which include brief overviews written by professionals who are discussing some aspect of elder abuse. Finally, chapter 7 has been added. This new edition will help shed some light on what can be done to prevent elderly persons from being victimized, or at least minimize the consequences of victimization when abuse does occur. It will be of interest to those in several different disciplines, including criminology, gerontology, social work, social welfare, sociology, psychology, victimology, medicine and other social sciences.

First Published in 1999. Family Crimes Against the Elderly, A Study of Elder Abuse and the New York Police Department represents an important contribution to the available knowledge on elder abuse as a criminal justice issue. While most studies of elder abuse to date have examined this social problem from a health, mental health or social service perspective, few have focused on it from the perspective of law enforcement.

This textbook focuses on the criminality and victimization of the elderly population. It provides a global perspective on the extent of the elderly crime and victimization, with international comparisons for addressing the problem. It explores the extent and types of crimes committed by the elderly, the characteristics of older criminals, and the responses of the criminal justice system (including prisons and institutions) to elderly criminals, including: diversion programs, community-based treatment programs, and special programs including health & mental health care services for older prisoners. The second part of the book covers victimization of the elderly. Research findings show that certain crimes including fraud, theft, and certain types of financial crimes disproportionately affect older people, and these types of crimes are growing in prevalence. This work explores the characteristics of older victims and the types of crimes that affect them. Finally, the book presents comparative international research on approaches to crime prevention, education, and legislation to address the victimization of the elderly. This work will be of interest to students in criminology and criminal justice, as well as related fields such as sociology, and gerontology.

Law Enforcement, Policing, & Security

This book offers an analytical review of the state of knowledge on elderly sexual abuse and presents new data that will confront some of the accepted ideas and some of the myths associated with this specific form of sexual violence. Sexual violence research has often considered children to be the most vulnerable population. However, another population just as vulnerable to sexual abuse but often overlooked by researchers, is the elderly. Evidence shows that elderly victims are more likely to be attacked by strangers, most likely to be victimized in their own homes, and are usually less capable of resisting a physical attack. Drawing on a large and representative dataset, Elderly Sexual Abuse offers a full and theoretically informed picture of the offenders and their crimes. In addition to a specific chapter devoted to prevention and criminal investigation, the book also connects research to practice, exploring what the findings mean for professionals working with these cases and the criminal justice system. This book is essential reading for all those engaged with sexual violence, victimization, elder abuse, and vulnerable populations.