VICTIMIZATION OF THE ELDERLY

As the elderly offender poses a different set of problems and issues for the criminal justice system from those associated with both youth offenders and younger adult offenders, so to does the elderly victim pose a special set of problems and issues that must be addressed by the criminal justice system. This research examines the effects of social attitudes on the victimization of elderly persons. For purposes of this research, age 55 and over is considered to be elderly (Fattah & Sacco, 1990, pp. 19-20).

Social perceptions of the elderly derive from both actual changes in individuals as aging occurs, and misleading and false interpretations and representations of such changes by younger persons (Bazargan, 1994, pp. 99-115). Adaptation to the aging process by individuals, and perceptual representations of older persons in society are examined.

All life-stage theories of human development are concerned with the aging process (Heikkinen, 1993, pp. 269-277). Within this context, three types of aging are involved. Biological aging refers to the manner in which the body functions over time, while psychological aging involves the individual's perceptions of the aging process, and social aging reflects the ways individuals relate aging their own unique society. Adjustments are required by i

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any that the mandatory retirement at age 65 requirement of most companies be abolished, and both business and government were beginning to recognize that the elderly were, as a population sub-group, growing faster than any other. More and more elderly persons not only recognized that it would be essential for them to work past age 65, if they were to maintain a desired standard of living; they also recognized that they would likely live a longer and would most certainly live a more fulfilling life, if they were able to work past the age of 65. As a result, the print media in the 1970s began to depict the elderly in active and useful roles (National Geographic Society, 1973, p. vi). The last of the retire at 55 advertisements were seen in the 1960s, and the last of the enforced idleness advertisements were seen in the 1970s. Later, however, Forbes magazine advertisements suggested that those individuals who read that magazine regularly might just be able to retire before they turn 50 years old. The advertisements of the early-1980s depicted elderly individuals in a variety of active roles in a variety of situations--work, at home relaxation, or active vacationing (Rums of Puerto Rico, 1983, p. 80). In the advertisements of th
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Some common words found in the essay are:
United Relatively, Wong Watt, Fattah Sacco, North American, Rhodes Luchetta, Effects Persons, Puerto Rico, SALT Senior, Miller Cutler, Logan Spitze, elderly persons, law enforcement, victimization elderly, care services, pp 5-9, respite care, rykert pp, rykert pp 5-9, criminal justice, respite care services, 1992 pp, fattah sacco, cantrell pp 19-23, law enforcement gerontologists, aging human development,
Approximate Word count = 5431
Approximate Pages = 22 (250 words per page)

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