Trends in Types and Amount of Crimes Committed by the Elderly in China

Abstract

This chapter takes elderly crime in Beijing and Tibet cases between 2012 and 2016 as the sample of the regions of China for the analysis of elderly crime. Statistics on elderly crime in both regions were collected and analyzed to illustrate the trend and causes of elderly crime from the standpoints of criminology and criminal law. A total of 682 cases of elderly crimes were published in the official judgment websites. The statistics showed that elderly violent crimes, elderly crimes of seeking avaricious profits, and elderly crimes of obstruction of the administration of public order were the most crimes which occurred in these years. On the basis of these statistics, this chapter analyzed the causes and prevention strategies of elderly crimes, both male and female, using the variables the mental situation of elderly offenders, the social environment of the elderly, and the national regulations and laws and using criminological theory as the basis for the analysis. Proposals about the punishment of elderly criminals which should be set according to the mitigation of penalty in light of the whole situation of elderly are also considered in the chapter.