Trends in Types of Crimes Committed by the Elderly in the United States

Abstract

Chapter 1focuses on the amount of crime committed by the elderly in the United States as well as the characteristics of elderly offenders. The conceptualization of the term elderly is discussed, and examples of how the concept elderly (older) criminals has been operationalized are given. Trends in elderly crime and the major types of crimes committed by the elderly are presented. Theories of crime causation that are applicable to elderly offenders are analyzed, including social strain, anomie, disengagement, continuity, opportunity, and routine activity theories. Research on elderly crime reveals that the proportion of total crime committed by the elderly in the United States is small. However, the amount of crime committed by the elderly has increased significantly during the past decade. There has also been an expansion of the types of crimes in which the elderly are involved. The reasons for these changes are discussed.