Crime prevention series

Older people as the focus of policy attention

Published in:
Crime prevention for older Australians
Marianne Pinkerton James
Canberra : Australian Institute of Criminology, 1993
ISBN 0 642 18631 6 ; ISSN 1031-5330
(Crime prevention series) ; pp. 66-69

Analyses of patterns of the more conventional crimes committed in Australia and overseas show low levels of victimisation of the elderly. The data in Figures A1 to A4 are consistent with this. There are, however, some interesting variations.

Figure A1, for instance, illustrates that in Australia in 1991, the incidence of crimes generally committed against the person was considerably lower for the 60 years plus age group. In addition, females aged 60 years and over were not as likely as males to be victims of robbery, but they were many times more likely than their male counterparts to be threatened with violence. Figure A2, which depicts Western Australian findings of reported offences against the person, also indicates that older people are much less likely to be the victims of crime. Figure A3 suggests that women over 65 years of age in South Australia may be more likely to be victims of robbery and assault than women in the 55 years to 64 years age group, but still less likely than the rest of the population. On the other hand, men over 65 years of age in South Australia are much less likely than other age groups to be victims of robbery and assault. Figure A3 is consistent with Figure A4 in its results for women, but indicates that men over the age of 65 years in New South Wales are just as likely as women in the same age group to be victims of robbery and assault, but again, this is lower than for younger age groups.

Figure A1 - Crimes against the person in 1991: estimated incidents per 1,000 persons, Australia

Source: Walker, J. (forthcoming) Crime in Australia, 1992, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra

Figure A2 - Reported offences against the person by gender and age of victim, Western Australia 1990

Source: Broadhurst, R.G., Ferrante, A.M., Susilo, N.P. 1990, Crime and Justice Statistics for Western Australia, The University of Western Australia.

Figure A3 - Victims of Crime^* in the last twelve months by gender and age, South Australia, April 1991

Source: Crime and Safety, South Australia, ABS Cat. No. 4509.4

Figure A4 - Victims of Crime^* in the last twelve months by gender and age, New South Wales, April 1991

Source: Crime and Safety, New South Wales, ABS Cat. No. 4509.1